


Darkness Among Us: Part II

by AltForFrozen



Series: Darkness Among Us [2]
Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, High Fantasy, Psychological Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-10-29 23:12:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 70,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10864089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AltForFrozen/pseuds/AltForFrozen
Summary: Two years after Elsa's safe return to Arendelle and Hans's last sighting, life has returned to normal for Elsa and her family. Before long, news of a tragedy arrives in the capital, and the demons that arise threaten to consume them all.





	1. Anna - An Exciting Morning

Anna woke very well on her sister's wedding day. The sun was streaming through the blinds, and birdsong and excited chatter drifted through the open window. The Princess was in a great mood. The cheerful redhead had not been this excited for a single day since her own wedding to the man snoring beside her, his blonde mop of hair blowing back and forth in time with his long, slow breaths. She lay there for a few moments, enjoying the sun dancing and shimmering on the walls.

 _Elsa's getting married today! I can't believe it!_ Excitement getting the better of her, she bounced up and ran to the window, throwing open the blinds and gazing out. The sun was resting just above the horizon, and the streets were busier than Anna had ever seen them. Not even Elsa's coronation had drawn crowds of quite this magnitude. Ships of all shapes and sizes were rotating in and out of the docks, many of them flying flags that Anna didn't even recognize. _It's a good thing I'm not the Queen_ , Anna thought. _I don't have the head for it_. Continuing to peer at the ships, a flash of gold caught her eye. She gasped. _Was that…_ The sun sigil of Corona waved at her from the mast of an enormous ship, as though the ship itself were greeting her. _Rapunzel!_ Anna spun around.

"Kristoff!" she cried. "Get up, get up! Rapunzel and Eugene are here!" Dashing to a large ornate wardrobe, she pulled her nightdress over head and stood there, considering her options with one hand on her hip.

"That's a good look for you, sweetie." Kristoff was grinning at her from the bed, his brown eyes aimed at her, running up and down her slender figure with an approving gaze. "You should just go to the wedding like that."

"Oh ha ha," Anna sneered. "Now get up, let's go say hi!" She pulled a simple dress out of the wardrobe (her favorite one, a comfortable, modest green dress), threw it over her head, and ran out of the room, thrilled at the thought of seeing her cousin, leaving Kristoff to roll out of bed in his own time, grumbling to himself. A phrase that sounded an awful lot like "overly excited puppy" drifted past Anna as she flung open the door and darted out, but she chose to ignore it. _He's just grumpy because it's too early._

Her mood was rising with every step Anna took. She bounded past some servants heading to Elsa's room, down the stairs, and out the front doors of the castle, where she paused. _Elsa… is getting married… TODAY!_ Unable to contain it, she squealed in elation and continued her mad dash across the grounds. The guards at the gates saw her coming, and rushed to open the way for her. The gates had just opened in time for Anna to run through without breaking stride, calling out a thanks over her shoulder at the guards, who were waving at her, grinning. As she started making her way through town, cries of "Hi, Anna!" and "Your Highness!" followed her, to which she responded with great enthusiasm, calling everyone she knew by name, and making sure to pause and take the time to get them if she didn't.

Anna had never seen the city so packed with people. Arendelle was a good deal larger than it had been even a few years ago. The walls had been expanded after Elsa had been safely returned to Arendelle two years ago, but already, the town had swelled to fill the new space. Anna knew that there were about 10,000 people living within the walls, but there had to be close to 50,000 filling the streets today. The entire kingdom seemed to have shown up- the entire kingdom and then some.

Rounding a corner, she- BAM!

"OWWW!" She had run straight into a large man with a long white beard and bespectacled eyes. She tried to steady herself, but didn't quite manage to find her feet in time, collapsing with a thud.

" _Ooof..._ my apologies, my- oh, Anna! I'm so sorry!"

"Francis!" Anna cried from the ground. "How are you!" Continuing to stammer out an apology, the old painter helped her to her feet and bowed. "Hey now, how many times do I have to tell you, you do _not_ need to bow to me, we're friends! Besides, I'm the one that ran into you! How are you?"

Francis' eyes were shining, much brighter than Anna had ever seen them. "I've never been better, Anna! Ahem… allow me to introduce my wife, Berta…" He gestured to his right, where a pretty woman with very curly brown hair curtsied. Anna gasped.

"Your _wife_? When did this happen? And _why_ -" she swatted him on the arm with the back of her hand "- was I not invited?" Francis dropped his eyes.

"My deepest apologies, Anna," he said. "I- I wasn't sure it would have been appropriate."

Anna laughed. "Who cares? You helped me when I wasn't doing too well, to say the least, I'm not likely to forget that." Turning to Berta, she curtsied. "It's very nice to meet you, Berta. If either of you ever need anything, you only need to call, and I'll be there." Berta curtsied again, muttering a thanks. _She's too pretty to be this shy. Oh well, she doesn't look like she's from around here, she's probably not used to a princess treating her like more than dirt_. Anna continued, "I must be off, my cousin is here, and I was on my way to say hi. I'll see you at the wedding, I'm sure?"

Francis nodded. "The Queen was kind enough to ask me to paint the ceremony, as I did yours, so I'll be in the back with my sketchbook."

"Good decision, Elsa. I'm sure the painting will be lovely. Take care! And be sure to tell your wife my policy of my friends bowing- or curtsying- around me." Francis laughed and nodded, and Anna waved goodbye and took off again. As she jogged through the narrow streets, dodging children, shopkeepers, and nobility in equal measure, she reflected on the chance encounter. _I didn't know how much I missed him. God, how long has it been? Too long, apparently. I used to stop by twice a week! I'll have to stop by his shop again soon, maybe during Elsa's honeymoon- well, no, I'll be the acting Queen for two whole weeks!_ The thought of running the kingdom without Elsa was too intimidating to dwell on on such a happy day, so she turned her thoughts back to the wedding.

Squeezing out of an alley she took as a shortcut (a procession of incoming guests packed shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the road forced her hand), the docks loomed before her. Arendelle's dock was much smaller in years past, but the incredible expansion of the past two years meant that a round dozen full size ships could be docked at once. It still wasn't enough. Twice that number again circled the port, waiting for an opening to dart through and unload their cargo, which happened to be nobles dressed in fantastic dresses, suits, and other formal wear, as well as their respective translators, servants, and family, before returning to the mire of the port and attempting to escape back to the relative openness of the fjord. Anna's own wedding had not had even half these attendees. Anna felt a small, selfish pang of jealousy for the extravagance and sheer size of her sister's wedding, then berated herself for it at once. _Anna, you idiot, Elsa doesn't care about any of these people! You may as well be jealous she's Queen. Is that a responsibility you want? Of course not, so don't be stupid!_

Anna's eyes were darting around the different flags, searching for Corona's Sun. She spotted it at last, sandwiched between a ship she didn't recognize and a ship from a country she didn't know the name of, but knew it was all the way across the Atlantic. _Wow, what a journey for a wedding!_ Anna doubled her pace, bolting down the dock. Her cousin's foot had just fallen on the weathered wood, and Anna was only a few yards away, when a loose board caught her foot. She tripped, arms windmilling to try to catch her balance, and flew into Rapunzel in an impact that would have knocked them both into the water if Eugene hadn't seen Anna coming. Darting behind Rapunzel, he bore the brunt of the impact, and Rapunzel's elbow smashed into his ribs. The girls stayed upright, but Eugene lost his balance and tumbled backwards into the water. Anna was horrified.

"Eugene! I'm so sorry! It was an accident!" Eugene had not surfaced. "Eugene!" Some bubbles were surfacing, but there was no sign of him. Rapunzel, having regained her bearings, started to call out his name as well. Still, Eugene did not surface. Anna dropped to her knees at the edge of the dock and peered into the water, straining her eyes for any sign of him. Within moments, a shape burst out of the water, dripping wet and grinning. A mischievous gleam was in Eugene's eyes as he seized Anna's arm with one hand and the edge of the dock with the other, holding himself halfway out of the water.

"Eugene…" Anna said, unnerved by the glint in Eugene's eye. "What are you doAHHH!" With a strong pull, Eugene yanked Anna headfirst into the cool water, where she made a not so graceful entrance, arms and legs flailing as she collided with the freezing water. She returned to the surface, sputtering and shivering, to find Eugene and Rapunzel were howling in laughter.

"I'm glad it's so funny to you guys!" Anna shouted, with as much anger as she could muster. "Now help me out, Rapunzel. Now!" Laughter faltering at Anna's furious expression, Rapunzel stretched out an arm to help. _Too easy_. Anna grabbed her cousin's hand, anger turning to glee at her brilliant deception, and pulled Rapunzel in as well. Eugene looked over at Anna, and it was evident he was impressed at her performance.

"Well done," he said. Rapunzel had now surfaced as well. "I actually thought you were mad for a second. Punz, you okay sweetie?"

After a brief silence, Rapunzel said in a level voice, "Wow. I really should have seen that coming." Their laughter renewed, they treaded water for a moment before realizing they now had no easy way up. Corona's ship was on the very end of the dock, and there was no one in sight.

"Huh," Anna said. "Didn't think this through very well, did we?"

The three considered their predicament a moment, then: "Well well well, what do we have here?" Squinting against the sun, the three looked up. Kristoff was standing on the dock, smiling and keeping his distance.

"Kristoff!" Anna cried. "Help me up!"

"After what I just saw?" he replied. "No thanks."

"Kristoff," said Anna, an edge creeping into her voice. "You better get me out of here."

"Hold your horses, Princess. Hang on." He glanced around, then moved out of sight. Seconds later, a rope descended to the water's surface. "There you go, kids. Come on up."

After they were all on the dock, preceded by a brief shoving match as to who would get out of the freezing water first (which Eugene won without much trouble), Kristoff can't help but laugh at the state of them.

"We better get to the castle if you guys want to be ready in time," Kristoff said. "The wedding's in four hours, and we have to be ready even before that."

The four nodded in agreement and set out. Kristoff and Eugene were catching up with the happenings in each other's lives, but Anna was content to just walk in silence, enjoying the companionship. Her good mood, already bubbling near its max, felt in danger of bursting out of her and flooding the streets. She was very fond of her cousin, and Eugene was one of the best men she had ever met- well, other than Kristoff- and Anna got to see them only rarely. Side effects of running a country, she supposed. As they passed through the main square, Anna realized that the last time Rapunzel had been to Arendelle was for her own wedding, and this realization was coupled with a sudden pang of guilt that Rapunzel had not been in her wedding party, souring her mood a bit. She decided to talk to Rapunzel once they were alone. She didn't want to ruin her mood (and Elsa's big day) by being mopey.

Arriving at the castle, the four split up, Anna and Rapunzel headed to Elsa's room to fulfill their bridesmaid duties, and Kristoff and Eugene headed to Heins's as groomsmen. On the way, Anna figured she might as well get it over with.

"Hey Rapunzel."

"Hmm?"

"You know I'm really sorry about not having you in my wedding, right?" she asked.

"Of course I do Anna!" she said in surprise. "Did you think I'd be mad? Kristoff's party was small, so yours was too. I understand, don't worry." Anna chuckled.

"You know," she said, "I've been worrying about this for too long, ever since Elsa asked you to be in hers. I felt like I should have asked you too. I should have known this is how you'd react. I was so afraid you'd be mad at me!"

"Of course not!" Rapunzel said. "You can be pretty dumb sometimes, you know." She smiled at Anna to let her know she was just playing, but there was something in the smile that put Anna off.

"What is it?" she asked, but Rapunzel looked hesitant.

"Well…" Rapunzel started, then, "I get why I'm in this wedding, but… why is Eugene? I know he was excited for the chance- Heins is a good man, and Eugene's very fond of him- but… the Southern Isles royal family is so big! Didn't he want some of his brothers in his party?"

Anna's face fell. "He tried. All the invitations were unanswered. No one's coming." Rapunzel gasped.

"That's horrible! Why? I thought Heins was still on good terms, it's just Hans that's disowned, right?"

"Yeah, and that's what he thought too. He was devastated for days after he realized." They stopped outside the door to Elsa's dressing room, which was just a bedroom that had been repurposed. "We're here. Smiles on, okay? I know that's terrible, but let's just try to forget it for now, agreed?"

"Agreed." Rapunzel's face broke into a grin. "She's probably so excited!" She pushed open the door.

Elsa was dressed in plain clothes, without makeup, and her hair was an absolute mess. Her dress lay on the floor in front of the mirror, and small snow drifts littered the ground, being kicked up in small puffs as Elsa paced back and forth, distraught. "Or not."

"Elsa!" Anna cried, rushing into the room. Rapunzel hung back, unsure of what to do. "What's wrong?"

"Everything's wrong!" Elsa wailed, flapping her hands in a most un-Elsa-like manner, pushing Anna away and retreating to the corner. "I can't do this!" She slumped against the wall, head in her hands, eyes wide and anxious.

"Wha… What do you mean?" Anna asked.

"This!" Elsa shrieked, gesticulating around her, breathing hard. Anna hesitated to approach, and kept a safe distance. Rapunzel still waited in the back, deferring to Anna in this unexpected crisis. "I can't get married, am I crazy?"

"Elsa, I don't understand," Anna said, bewildered. "You were so excited last night!" Elsa had spent the previous night exulting about everything even related to the wedding, in very specific detail, to anyone who would listen, which of course meant Anna had stayed up far too late listening to Elsa go on and on in breathless, enthusiastic tones (Kristoff had a very sudden "bad headache" and retired around forty-five minutes in).

Elsa giggled, a shrill, hysterical sound. "That was last night! It wasn't today! It wasn't real last night!"

"Elsa, calm down," Anna cooed. "Take a deep breath. Yeah… that's it." It took a short while, but eventually, Elsa's chest steadied, and after a few seconds, regulated to a fast but regular rhythm. "There, good. Now… explain to me what's wrong."

Elsa's eyes were locked on the floor. "What if he leaves me?" she whispered.

Anna had figured it was something like this. "Elsa, wha-"

Elsa didn't seem to notice Anna's interjection. "What if he doesn't leave me?" she asked. Anna's mouth opened and closed, working soundlessly as she struggled to interpret this unexpected turn. "If he leaves me, then I'm alone again. If he doesn't leave me, then I'm never alone again. How do I...?" She wasn't even talking to Anna at this point. "What am I supposed to do?"

A dense fog had settled over Anna's mind. How could Elsa want to be alone and not want to be alone at the same time? It made no sense. A glance back at Rapunzel confirmed that she was just as bewildered as Anna was. Half to give her body something to do, as her mind had taken a sudden leave of absence, she crept over to Elsa and sat down beside her. Elsa shrank away from the touch, wringing her hands over and over again. The motion triggered something in Anna's stalled brain- a much younger Elsa, wearing gloves, wringing her hands in much the same way as she was now. A young Elsa, unable to control her powers, in the tiny, brief, wonderful moments that Anna got to see her sister: passing each other in the halls, Anna giving a cheerful wave, Elsa wringing her hands, eyes on the floor; dinners here and there, Anna talking animatedly with her sister, Elsa wringing her hands, silent, eyes on her plate; then, Elsa in her castle on the North Mountain, Anna pleading for her to come back, Elsa shutting her out, wringing her hands. The fog cleared in an instant. Anna understood what was wrong.

"Elsa… the doors were shut for so long. But they're different now. They never need to be closed, or open, again. They can be whatever you want them to be. You can choose whether the doors are open or closed today. You never need to be alone, but you never need to be with people, either. You and Heins have been together for a long time now, and this has never been an issue. What is marriage going to change? If anything, it just means that you never need to fear being alone again." It was a long time before Elsa responded, but over time, her breathing slowed, and her hands relaxed, then fell to her sides.

"You're right," Elsa whispered at last. "I was lost. It felt years ago. It's not like that anymore. I'm such a fool."

"Hey now, no you're not," Anna crooned, stroking her sister's hair. "You've got a lot on your plate. You're allowed a minor mental breakdown every so often before I send you off to the loony bin."

Elsa chuckled. "Well, there's one for the year. How many do I get?"

"Oh, I suppose… about three a year seems fair."

"Deal." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I just feel so foolish. There's no way Heins is reacting like this. He's always so calm, so collected."


	2. Kristoff - Preparations

"I can't do this!" cried Heins. He was pacing back and forth in his temporary room, distraught, hands running through his hair over and over. Kristoff and Eugene stood stunned at the door, mouths hanging open, as motionless as statues. A single chair sat in the middle of the room, with a mirror, a hook, and Hein's suit on the wall.

"I mean, come on, really? I can't possibly go through with this! I don't deserve her! After all that she's been through? After all _I_ put her through? That's it, I'm calling this wedding off." He strode towards the door. _Oh no you don't_. Springing into action, Kristoff and Eugene each leapt forward, took hold of one of Heins's arms, and marched him back into the room.

"Let me go!" he yelled. "I have to go tell her I can't do this!"

"Oh no you don't," said Kristoff. "Sit down, you." They threw him down on the chair, pushing him back down when he tried to rise. "Hey- sit down, and shut up."

"But don't you see?" Heins pleaded. "I'm calling it off for her sake!"

Kristoff glanced at Eugene. "Man, maybe he's right." Heins looked at them, a half confused, half pleased look on his face. "I mean, there's no way he actually loves her."

"How _dare_ you!" Heins exclaimed, trying to rise, only to be shoved down again. His eyes flashed. "I love her more than life itself! That's why I can't go through with this!"

"Really?" asked Eugene. "Hey Kristoff. You ever hear of someone loving someone they have no respect for?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Nor me," Eugene admitted.

"What could you possibly mean?" asked Heins, trying once more to rise, Eugene doing the honors this time. "Stop pushing me!"

"Stop trying to stand, and shut up already," said Eugene. "Listen- you claim to love this woman, but you don't respect her enough to respect her choices?" Silence. "I don't know about you, but I would dare to say that Elsa is much more qualified to say what or who she deserves a hell of a lot better than someone else, even you."

"But look at what I did to her!" Heins protested. "Someone like me doesn't deserve someone like her!"

"You think you don't deserve Elsa?" Kristoff laughed. "You are a _Prince_ , marrying a former _Princess_. Seems about right to me."

"But that's not the-"

"Eugene?" asked Kristoff.

"Yes, my friend?"

"What did you do for a living before you married Rapunzel?"

"I was a thief and a scoundrel who cared only about myself, and gold. But mostly myself. What about yourself? What did you do before you married Anna?"

"I was an isolated anti-social ice harvester whose best and only friend was a reindeer, with my family being a bunch of overbearing rocks."

"Huh. Look at that," said Eugene in mock wonder. "Maybe you're right, Heins. Maybe a _prince_ and a _queen_ is actually too normal for these times."

"But you still don't underst-"

"You know, Heins," said Kristoff. "We really don't have all day here. So if you want to just go ahead and stop being stupid, we'd really appreciate it."

Heins slumped in his chair, defeated. He sighed. "Fine," he said at last.

Eugene walked over and knelt down, placing a bracing hand on Heins's shoulder. "Look, Heins. I know how you feel. I really do. Look what I did to Rapunzel when we first met. But this is Elsa's choice here too. And she chose you." Eugene stood, and Heins looked much calmer, although he looked like he was fighting to keep his composure, somewhere between bursting into tears and trying to escape again.

"Thank you. Thank you both," he said, looking around at them. "I think you just kept me from making a huge mistake."

Kristoff shrugged. "It's your wedding day. When I got married, Alan had to stop me from escaping out the window. Besides, what else are we here for?"

Heins laughed. "I suppose that's true. I had to get my money's worth, after all."

"Speaking of money's worth," Kristoff began, "I'm going to head down to the church. I told Anna I'd meet her at the church once we made sure you were all set."

"I think I am, now," Heins said. "Thanks again, Kristoff."

"You're welcome. I'll be back soon." Waving farewell to Eugene, he walked out and closed the door. In the hallway, he couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping his lips. He had not lied to Heins, Alan had come to his dressing room on Kristoff's wedding day to find him perched on the ledge, contemplating his chances of sliding down the hanging flags to freedom, overwhelmed by the prospect of becoming the equivalent of a full-fledged Prince. He thought about his own wedding all the way out of the castle and down to the church, where he was startled out of his head by Anna's annoyed shout. Breaking into a light jog, he soon came upon the sight of the redhead, just outside the front of the church, being swarmed by dozens of servants, caterers, florists, ushers, priests, and every other type of person it was conceivable to have at a wedding (and several, it seemed, that it wasn't- Kristoff couldn't figure out for the life of him why one man was carrying what appeared to be a large porcelain figure of a donkey), and his poor wife attempting (without much success) to create some order out of the chaos.

"Anna!" he called. "I see you've got this handled, so I'm going to head back!"

"Don't you DARE!" Her shout was so loud it actually caused Porcelain Man to fumble with his donkey, and the several people nearest her started rubbing their ears.

"Yes ma'am," he said, half to himself. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Attention! Attention, please! Anyone who has a problem about the wedding, raise your hands!" Every single hand went up. _Okay then…_ "Anyone who has a problem that will actually halt the wedding, keep your hands up, the rest of you, hands down." After a moment, about three quarters of the hands went down. Kristoff looked at them, incredulous. "Then what are you still doing here? Get out of the way!" The crowd grumbled, but began to move off. _There. That's manageable._ Anna just had time to shoot him a look of relief before someone was already talking to her again, then Kristoff himself was approached by the caterer (the cake hadn't arrived yet, but it was supposed to be there that morning), the ushers (the seating chart was off by one seat because some idiot dignitary had decided he needed to bring his wife _and_ his mistress, and they needed to rearrange), and the florist (the flowers were the wrong shade of blue, and Kristoff had just started to swell with frustration when the florist rushed off, suddenly convinced the wedding would go on, light blue or very light blue flowers and all). The last problem had just been solved (table 13393BX6 would now have one more seat, or some such nonsense), and there was just one hour until the ceremony was to begin. Anna and Kristoff linked up and began to walk back to the castle.

"So, how's Elsa doing?" asked Kristoff as they passed under some of the many banners that lined the streets from the church to the castle. The cobblestone streets they trod on had been cleaned and swept, and the windows around them twinkled at them as they passed.

"Oh, she's- she's fine!" Anna answered, much too brightly. "Absolutely fine. No troubles at all! What about Heins?"

"The same, actually."

"So, both completely freaking out?"

"Naturally."

"Of course. Wouldn't want it to be too easy."

"Nah. It'd get boring."

"Odds one of them actually runs away?"

"I'd say it's about an even split."

"Hmm."

"Hmm."


	3. Elsa - The Wedding

_Oh god… it's really happening._ Elsa stood in front of the mirror in her dressing room, alone. The woman reflected there had only a passing resemblence to the Elsa she remembers best, the scared, lonely little girl who locked herself away for the sake of her sister for nearly half her life. No, the woman in front of her was wearing a strapless gown with delicate embroidery across the bodice, leading down to a smooth skirt that swept down to the floor. Her thick blonde hair was drawn into an elegant bun, and a small gold tiara rested above her bangs, which themselves were swept to the side to join in the bun. Her arms and back were covered with ropey scars that crossed each other without pattern or grace to guide them, which she thought made her look hideous and deformed. Nothing like the scared little girl who had nearly killed her sister. But no, wait, there was something. The eyes. The eyes looked every bit as scared as they did when she hurt Anna.

 _What am I so scared of? Why does it terrify me so much to let someone in? Anna is one thing, but Heins… what's wrong with me? Why am I so difficult?_ Her fear from earlier had subsided for a while, but then it had turned inwards, eating at her mind and turning itself to misery. _Snap out of it!_ , she ordered herself. _He loves you! You know he does! Control it! Think about him. You know this is the right decision._ With immense effort, Elsa wrenched her mind from her worry and cast it back to simpler times.

Anna had helped him plan it, she found that out later. But at the time, all she knew is that this man, this wonderful man, was on one knee in front of her, at the cabin by the lake that would later become their honeymoon destination. It was the simplicity of it that had won her over. They had made the trip to celebrate Elsa's 27th birthday. Elsa was somewhat surprised that Anna had allowed Heins to steal her away on her birthday, but nonetheless, they had gone. They arrived at the cabin early in the afternoon, and the sun was streaming through the thick pine trees that surrounded the small, but very cozy, cabin. Before they had even gone inside, Heins insisted that they go for a swim in the lake. The water was beautiful, sparkling blue and so clear Elsa swore she could see straight to the bottom, so she happily obliged. The water was so pleasant that it was several hours before either one of them could drag themselves out of the lake, lying on the beach and basking in the sunlight before heading to the cabin. Going in for the first time, she was greeted by the sight of a ornate and beautifully set table with three unlit candles and two empty plates. After Elsa expressed her confusion, Heins put on a ridiculous frilly apron and ornate chef's hat, and announced he'd be making her something extra special- and he spoke the truth. He claimed it was an old family recipe, but whatever he had done, it was the best meal she had ever had. Full to bursting, and ecstatic with how the day had gone, Elsa had just started wondering (to her slight shame) if she actually got any _presents_ , or was this it. Having the good sense to not question it, and admitting that the day had been much more than enough, they relaxed, content to just enjoy each other's company.

It wasn't long before Heins rose, declaring he had something to show her. Grabbing her by the hand and leading her out of the house, they walked back to the beach at the lakeside. Elsa gasped. The sun was aligned perfectly between two mountain peaks, seeming to hold the golden blaze aloft as streaks of red and gold shot across the sky. The last rays of sunlight twinkled off the gently rippling surface of the water, winking and glittering like no gems on earth ever could. After a minute, Heins spoke.

"Those two mountains are called The Cradle of the Gods. My mother brought me here, long ago, when I was still a child. She told me that any bond made here, on the hour of the Embrace, will outlast the Sun itself. This is my gift to you, if you should choose to accept it."

Bemused, she turned. Heins was down on one knee, holding aloft the most gorgeous ring Elsa had ever seen. A thin gold band held three beautiful diamonds. The center, the largest, was clear and cut to perfection, seeming to hold a fierce fire within it in the glow of the setting sun. The other two were two different shades of blue, one the color of a bright summer sky, and the other was the deep blue of an ocean. Elsa could not move or speak.

"Elsa, my love…will you marry me?"

"Elsa!" Elsa jumped and almost stumbled over the hem of her dress.

"Come in!" she called to her sister, who had come to collect her for the ceremony. Elsa watched through the mirror as the door swung open, and there stood Anna, wearing her Maid of Honor dress (that she had picked out), a dress much like Elsa's, only sky blue with a shorter skirt and no train, but the same embroidery on the bodice. On her right was Rapunzel, wearing an identical dress to Anna's, but without the embroidery. Behind them were Baldur and Silas, two members of her Queensguard, wearing their full armor, as they were technically on duty today. In their fantastic white and silver armor, the Queensguard looked just as appropriate at a wedding as if they were wearing suits themselves, a perk that they were just about to enjoy for the first time.

"Time to go?" Elsa asked her sister's reflection. Anna nodded. Elsa took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's go." Elsa tore her eyes away from her reflection and lead their small procession out of the castle. Silas was silent as always, but Baldur gave a wink and a smile as she passed, which calmed Elsa more than she expected. Two other members of the Queensguard, Liam and Leila, were escorting Heins, and the others, Alarik, Alan, and Cari, were leading the City Watch at the church, providing security to the dozens of important dignitaries and hundreds of townspeople. Elsa lead the way down to the castle gates, where an exquisite carriage awaited them. The whole carriage was painted white, with designs of roses and tulips carved with extreme care and skill into the trim. Baldur and Silas open the doors and Elsa clambered in, taking great care to not dirty her dress. Anna and Rapunzel followed, then guards closed the doors and flanked the carriage. With a crack of the reins, the carriage started forward with a bump and a lurch. Rapunzel and Anna were chatting away, but Elsa doesn't even hear them. _Here we go. No turning back. This is happening._

The ride to the church seems to pass in the blink of an eye. Seconds after leaving the castle, the carriage pulled up to the back of the church and the doors were thrown open.

"Your Majesty," says Baldur. He extended a hand and helps Elsa climb down. "This way, please." He lead the way to a tiny little room, attached to the back of the church, where the three women were to wait for the groomsmen. "Wait here, I'll be back shortly." Anna was abuzz with excitement, eyes shining with glee. Rapunzel couldn't stop giggling. Elsa, on the other hand, felt (and looked, she was positive of it) like she was about to vomit. Far too soon, Baldur was back. Elsa followed him in a daze through the alley on the side of the church to the front, where Kristoff and Eugene were waiting. They both wore black tailcoats and vests with the same color as the bridesmaid dresses. Once again, Elsa found herself thanking Anna for coordinating the bridal party outfits, because she had to admit, the effect was quite stunning.

"Ready, Your Majesty?" asked Baldur. He was standing at one of the doors to the church, Silas at the other, looking with questioning eyes at the Queen. Elsa didn't feel capable of speech, so she just pursed her lips and nodded quickly. Anna gave her an encouraging smile, then took a position on the left of the doors, out of sight of the interior, with Rapunzel behind her. Kristoff and Eugene stood opposite their wives. Baldur and Silas pushed open the doors, then stood at attention just inside the frame, and every eye in the church turned towards the open doors. As the organist began to play, Anna and Kristoff walked toward each other with slow, deliberate steps. They met in the middle and turned to face the altar, then linked arms and began to march down the aisle. A short while later, Rapunzel and Eugene did the same. Before she knew it, it was the bride's turn. Now, more than ever before, she wished her father was there to walk her down the aisle.

She walked to the center of the doors and faced the altar. All at once, she was years ago, facing this very altar, wearing long gloves, desperate to conceal. Don't feel. She started taking shaky steps forward, concealing all of her internal strife and keeping her face neutral. Just as she had then. The feeling of deja vu intensified. Every guest rose to their feet. Elsa's heart was thundering in her ears, drowning out the organ. This was it, the day the world found out about her- no, this was the day she wedded. But was it? The ground was unsteady beneath her feet. Her vision seemed to swirl and blur, until nothing existed to her except the aisle. Far too soon, it was steps, then altar. She trembled, then looked up into the face of the priest, offering the royal orb and scepter to her, the moment, she had to conceal, don't feel- then very suddenly, she was yanked back to awareness as though someone had thrown a bucket of water on her. The face in front of her was the same as it was that day, but he held a book, not an orb, and there was someone there on the altar with her this time. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face her groom. Heins looked better and happier than Elsa had ever seen him. _Look at him,_ Elsa thought. _He's not worried._ He sent her a reassuring smile, and Elsa felt her fear and doubt melting away. _What was I so worried about?_ Returning to herself, she became aware of the Bishop speaking.

"... of this man, and of this woman, who today shall be joined in sacred wedlock." Turning to Heins, he continued. "Do you have a ring, with which to bond this life to your own?"

"I do," he said, turning around and taking a small gold band from Kristoff. "With this ring, I thee wed, and with all that I have, and all that I am, I honor you." He slipped the ring onto her finger, where it glittered there next to her engagement ring.

"And do you have a ring, with which to bond this life to your own?" the Bishop asked Elsa.

"I do," she said. Anna handed her the ring, and she slipped it onto his finger, saying, "With this ring, I thee wed, and with all that I have, and all that I am, I honor you."

"Join hands." They did so, Elsa's right to Heins's left. "All rise, please." There was a flutter of sound as hundreds of guests got to their feet.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East, and the element of Air, for openness and breath, and communication of the heart. From the east you receive the gift of a new beginning with the rising of each Sun, and the understanding that each day is a new opportunity for growth." He wound a white cord around their clasped hands.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South, and the element of fire, for energy, passion, creativity and the warmth of a loving home. From the fire within you generate light, which you will share with one another in even the darkest of times." A red cord joined the first.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West, the element of water, for your capacity to feel emotion. In marriage you offer absolute trust to one another, and vow to keep your hearts open in sorrow as well as joy." A blue cord joined the red and the white.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North, the element of earth, which provides sustenance, fertility and security. The earth will feed and enrich you, and help you to build a stable home to which you may always return." The brown cord was the last, and the Bishop tied the ends to each other with practiced movements. The cord could only be untied later that night, when they consummated the marriage. They would hold hands until then.

"Under summer's sun and winter's moon, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." All fear forgotten and heart about to burst out of her chest, Elsa leaned into her first kiss as a married woman with enthusiasm, not even hearing the thunderous applause of the guests, nothing in the world existing except the feel of his lips on hers. When they parted, she spied Kristoff grinning ear to ear and Eugene trying- and failing- to hide brushing away a tear. She and Heins turned to face the packed church, and the Bishop said with a smile, "It is my great honor to introduce, King Heins and Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" The applause slowed to a halt as every member in the church placed their right fist over their hearts bowed their heads in recognition of their new monarch.

Arendelle was unique with royal marriages among the other kingdoms Elsa knew. Heins was now King as though he had been born into the station, and he was accorded all the same rights and responsibilities as Elsa. If Elsa died, he would assume the throne, instead of Anna, and Heins's children would be the heirs to the throne. _How ironic,_ Elsa mused as they began to make their way back down the aisle and out of the church. _Hans tries wooing Anna for the throne, and his brother is the one who actually ascends- through me!_

Outside of the church, Elsa and Heins waited for the procession to form behind them. They would lead, followed by Anna and Kristoff, then by Rapunzel and Eugene. The Queensguard would escort them. Behind the bridal party would come the nobles in order of honor, then the knights and dames, then finally the townspeople. After a few minutes, they set off. It was tradition to march from the wedding to the reception, which in this case, just so happened to be the castle. Almost the entirety of the castle was to be open to the public, for the first time since the previous King, Elsa's father, had been ruler of Arendelle. Even during the coronation, only the grounds and ballroom were open, and on top of that, it was invite only. This time, at Elsa's insistence, the only places deemed to be off limits were bedrooms and servant's areas, and the event was open to everyone in the kingdom.

Of course, the castle was not nearly large enough to host anywhere near that amount of people, and as a result, the party would spill out across half the town. Within blocks they were passing booths, seating areas, and impromptu stages set up for the crowds. Elsa had initially thought it arrogant to throw such an extravagant affair just for her wedding, Queen though she was, but Anna had taken it upon herself to drag Elsa around town to show that the people loved her, and were thrilled at the prospect of being so included. And so, there it was: the reception would take up half the town and go all through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I did not come up with the vows in this chapter. They're from some book I found when trying to find non-religious wedding vows. Arendelle exists in this sort of weird amalgamation of locations and time periods. The geography is clearest, being based on Norway, but you can't really get more specific than that. According to the Disney wiki, Arendelle is based primarily on Arendal, near the southern tip of Norway. However, the surrounding location is based more on a fjord in western Norway, and the buildings themselves are taken from multiple Norwegian cities. 
> 
> But still, Norway, 1840's, so Lutheran, right? Well, probably. But then again, the ships sailing in to Arendelle are all 100% wind powered. By the 1840's, many ships (and certainly the ships that would be used by Dukes) had converted at least partially to steam power. Also, the equipment the Duke's men use to try to kill Elsa is very highly suspect to being set in the 1840's. For us Americans, that's only about 20 years before the Civil War. I don't remember hearing about the Blue and the Gray fighting it out with crossbows. The Ottoman Empire was using smooth bore personal firearms as soon as the 15th century. When you throw in the fact that Rapunzel shows up to Elsa's coronation, looking the exact same as the end of Tangled, despite being well into her eighties by the time 1840 swings around, I made the executive decision to say "fuck it" and ignore most links to the real world. That means no official religion, no regard for geography, and no regard for timelines, meaning the most advanced technology you'll find in this story is roughly that of, say, Gondor. 
> 
> I figure I might as well take this opportunity to at least roughly point out where I'm having all this stuff happen, though, just to help contextualize it. If Arendelle is where Arendal is on a map, then Weselton is about where Gothenburg, Sweden is. Corona is up at Oslo. The Southern Isles are basically where Denmark is now, but islands... because story. I'm really realizing why most high fantasy books I've read include maps, and I'd include one if I could. 
> 
> Regarding the story- I argued with myself a lot over the inclusion, and more precisely, the pacing, of the first three chapters. Some old advice I've heard about writing is "If you say to get to a certain page before the story picks up, start your story on that page". Well.... I guess I'll need someone to tell me if I dun fucked up. As always, thank you so much for reading, I truly hope you're enjoying it, and comments of any kind are greatly appreciated.


	4. Heins - Reception and Revelry

Heins was in a daze of happiness. He and Elsa were seated at the Head Table, hands still bound tight together, receiving their many guests. The rest of the wedding party had long since abandoned their plates at the Head Table, heading off to mingle amongst the merriment. The day had passed into evening, and lamps were strung along wires high above their heads, bathing the courtyard in a warm, yellow glow. The courtyard was packed with the sights and sounds of hundreds of people enjoying themselves, and yet, up at the Head Table, the beleaguered couple spared them no thought, as noble after dignitary after knight passed, all paying tribute to their hosts. Quite frankly, Heins didn't care. He was fully aware of only one thing- the feel of Elsa's hand in his, everything else was just so much noise. For the first time in a while, Elsa's hand was quite a lot colder than his own. Elsa had learned how to regulate her body temperature a long time ago; in fact, it was the first night they spent together. _That night… so long ago, and yet no time at all._ It hadn't started out well. Even though Heins was dumbstruck by Elsa's beauty (as always), she mistook his cartoonish expression of amazement as one of hesitance, and thought he was put off by her scars. It took a while to sort out, but they got through it before too long. Then, once they had actually gotten into bed together, Elsa was just a shade colder than most icicles Heins had come into contact with. After that, Elsa insisted that Heins help her. They stayed up late into the night, helping Elsa learn to warm herself up. It turned out, she could control her own temperature very well, getting the hang of it with just a few hours of concentrated practice. _Guess it doesn't work if she's too emotional. She's freezing right now!_

Heins returned to the present, just as the something or other from some country he didn't care about right now was leaving. There would be time for diplomacy later. The royal pompous Archsomething from Someplace was in front of him now, and Heins found his eyes drifting around the party as Elsa played the responsible Queen next to him, thanking the Archsomething graciously for his attendance. His gaze wound up resting on the members of the Queensguard.

All the members who weren't actually in the wedding had spread out around the perimeter of the wedding. To the casual eye, they were smiling, talking, and laughing just as much as anyone else, but Heins noticed the way their eyes never quite stopped moving, and how their hands were never very far from their weapons, or how none of them were seated, even for a moment. The Queensguard had begun to take on quite the fearsome reputation, and it gave Heins more than a little pleasure to see the wide berth some of the dignitaries gave them. The mere threat of sending just one Queensguard somewhere troublesome was usually enough to quell most problems. Even Baldur, who Heins always thought was a little immature, had become quite the warrior, able to hold his own against even the most experienced swordsman among them, Alarik, the Captain of the Queensguard. Heins himself was technically a member, even if he didn't get up to much Queensguarding these days- then again, as of a few hours ago, he was probably taken off the official roster, at least on paper. He made a mental note to look into that later, for the sake of curiosity. _Elsa's not going to be pleased they're all on duty. She wanted them to relax for once today._ But Elsa didn't seem to notice, at the moment, she was fending off the dignitaries from Germany, Egypt, and Spain at once. She was saved by the arrival of a teenage girl with coal black hair.

"Oh, Martha!" Elsa exclaimed. "How nice to see you! We thought you and your… friends… weren't coming out today!"

The girl curtsied, then said, "They aren't, although they wish they were. I just couldn't not show up, your friendship has meant more than you can imagine, and we are all eternally grateful." Lowering her voice, she continued, "Saying more than that here would be unwise, I think."

"You are very right, Martha," said Heins. "I cannot deny, it's excellent to see you." She curtsied again, and Heins raised an apologetic hand. "That said, I must recommend you leave soon. It would not do well to have your talents discovered out of hand."

Elsa shot a dirty look at her husband, but Martha only nodded, her expression unchanged. "Of course, Your Majesty. I understand. We'll talk later?" Heins nodded. "Very well. Then with your permission, I shall take my leave, Your Majesty."

"Of course." With that, Martha turned and disappeared among the crowd. Leaning over to Elsa, he whispered in her ear, "I'm not going to apologize. What if she bumps into someone? You know what she does to people when she touches them, you better than most. They should have sent Shana or Gareth, or Jakob."

"But you didn't have to be so rude!" Elsa hissed. "She's our friend!"

"That she is," Heins replied. "It's not for us that I worry, it's for her. It was brave enough to come forward to you, and you're a magician as well. Can you imagine her reaction if the whole world knew about her gifts?"

"I'm still right," Elsa huffed, but her tone let Heins know she wasn't angry. "I have had enough sitting. This is supposed to be our day, and yet we haven't done anything but sit here and trade meaningless pleasantries. Let's go mingle!" Rising to her feet, she made her apologies to the Egyptian ambassador, then pulled Heins off to go see what the party held.

They worked their way through the party, greeting many of the common townsfolk. They were all starstruck by their presence, although that had more to do with his wife than himself, Heins was sure. He may be their King now, and he was positive that if he gave an order, it would be followed, but it was Elsa and Anna who held the people's hearts. They soon ended up over by Baldur. The young knight bowed low when they approached, and Elsa gave a reproachful look.

"So, how's the party so far, Baldur?" asked Elsa. "You know, it's so funny, Heins. I could have sworn I told the Queensguard to relax, take a day off, but old Baldur here doesn't seem too relaxed, does he?"

"No, he doesn't. Baldur? Anything to say?" The young knight dropped his eyes and said nothing. Turning back to Elsa, Heins continued, saying, "I'm pretty sure that you gave him a direct order, dear. And he has since disobeyed that direct order. What should his punishment be?"

Elsa's eyes lit up, and she whispered in Heins's ear her plan. _This will be interesting,_ Heins thought. They faced Baldur, who at this point was fidgeting under the scrutiny.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, glancing from one to the other. "You're joking around, right?"

Elsa gave no indication that she had heard him. "Sir Baldur, I have given you a direct order, which you have disobeyed. It is my right to lay down a punishment, no matter what it may be." She paused for effect, then said, "You're punishment is thus. You must ask for a dance, from-"

"Oh, gosh, Your Majesty, don't scare me like that!" Baldur cried. "I thought I was in serious trouble! I'm sorry, it's just that, you know, we in the Guard were worried, and, well, we all decided to just stay on watch. I'm sorry. I'll-" Elsa raised her hand, cutting off his long-winded explanation.

"You didn't let me finish. You must go ask for a dance, from Leila."

Baldur turned white as snow. "Oh, no, Your Majesty. I couldn't, I-"

"We don't particularly care for your protests, Baldur," said Heins. "This is your punishment. Take it or be stripped of your title and rank."

"But you can't do that!" cried Baldur.

"I am the Queen. This is your King. We can do whatever we wish. And if we feel your insubordination is grounds to remove you from my Queensguard, then I shall."

Baldur was silent, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to come up with a retort. "Fine!" he said at last. "Where is she?" Heins gestured across the party, to where Leila stood watching them with curiosity, having noticed the repeated glances and gestures in her direction. "I should have just taken the demotion…" Baldur muttered as he stomped towards her. He seized a glass of champagne off a passing servant's tray, downed it in one go, then threw the empty glass behind him, which was caught by the bemused servant. Elsa and Heins burst into laughter. Poor Baldur looked like a man taking his last steps to the gallows as he approached Leila, weaving this way and that to prolong the time before he had to face her. He finally stopped in front of her and muttered something that Heins could not hear, but the black haired woman giggled (for the very first time in her life, so far as Heins was aware) at him, a pink glow spreading across her cheeks before she nodded and offered her arm, which the young man took with a shaky hand. Stunned, Elsa and Heins looked at one another, surprise reflected in both pairs of eyes.

"Did… did you expect that?" asked Heins.

"Nope. You?"

"Nope. I'm not sure if that's better or worse than what I had in mind." They both shook their heads and chuckled, then Anna sidled up alongside, dragging Kristoff by the hand.

"Ooooh! He finally said something?" Anna squealed, looking across at the pair now dancing with surprising intimacy on the dance floor as the band played a slow and beautiful waltz.

Heins was the first to answer. "He did, but it took the threat of being removed from the Queensguard!"

"What?" Kristoff asked. "You-"

"Oh, I would never have actually done it," said Elsa. "But he didn't have to know that!"


	5. Anna - After the Wedding

"I'm so tired!"

"I know, Anna. What time is it, anyway?"

"So late, it's actually early."

"Oh boy."

"Yep. Tomorrow- well, today, is going to be rough."

"Yep."

"Some party, though."

"You can say that again."

The courtyard looked like someone had exploded a brightly colored bomb. Streamers, napkins, party favors, empty wine glasses, you name it, it was somewhere within sight. Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Heins sat alone at one of the tables, small water glasses in front of each of them. A plate of chocolates sat in the middle of the table, being picked at by Anna mainly, although all of them had had much more than they should have. Rapunzel and Eugene were forced to leave much earlier than anticipated, only able to say a matter had arisen in Corona before hurrying to their ship. Anna had been quite sorry to see them go, she was very fond of her cousin, and had expected her for at least several days after the wedding. She had to be satisfied with a hurried farewell and a promise to visit again soon. The castle gates closed a short while ago, and most of the Queensguard had long since retired, but Anna could see Baldur and Leila sitting against the wall on the far side of the courtyard. The two had not been apart since Baldur first asked her to dance, and the hopeless romantic inside Anna couldn't help but rejoice, as Baldur had fancied Leila since the moment the two had first met. It was clear that his time in the Queensguard had matured him, somewhat, but it was also nice to see Leila let her stern mask down a little and enjoy herself. _Those two are a lot like Kristoff and me. I hope they make it!_

Anna yawned and stretched. Kristoff and Heins had struck up a conversation, but Elsa's eyes were downcast, and she looked concerned about something. "What's wrong, Elsa?" Anna asked. The men stopped short and looked around, surprised that anything at all was amiss.

"Nothing," Elsa lied, then relented when no one averted their questioning gazes. "Okay, fine. You all know what's next week, right?" Of course they did. One week from tomorrow- _today_ , Anna reminded herself- it will have been two years since Elsa was kidnapped and Anna wounded. It was plain on the other's faces that they remembered too. "Well, I was thinking earlier, but I didn't bring it up, obviously- Hans will not fail to notice that it was not he, but his brother, who ascended to Arendelle's throne." Heins dropped his head. "Oh, no, Heins," Elsa said quickly. "I don't mean it like that. I know that's not why you married me. But he already blamed you for his imprisonment in the Southern Isles, he's not like to take this lying down."

"You're right," said Kristoff. "But what's the point? We haven't seen hide nor hair of Hans in almost two years. Not even a whisper. Where's the proof he even survived that night in the camp?"

"He survived," Heins muttered, anger plain on his face. The betrayal was obviously still fresh in his mind. "I know he did. He's not done. He's out there, somewhere, biding his time, waiting for the right moment. You all have seen what he can do- he only acts when the time is right, when the opportunity presents itself. Don't think he's gone- that _will_ prove to be a mistake."

Anna leapt to her feet. "That's enough. Hans is not here, is he?" She looked around the courtyard. "Let's see… nope, no Hans. So what are we doing, letting him spoil this occasion? Elsa, Heins, Kristoff, on your feet, now." Grumbling, they did as asked. "Come with me." She led the way to the center of the dance floor, where she rounded on Elsa. "Well?" she demanded.

Elsa shook her head. "Anna, what do you want?"

"You know what I want. It will help us relax."

Elsa sighed, then stomped her bare foot, having long abandoned her heels after her feet began throbbing. At once, a thin sheet of pure ice emanated from her sole, worming its way underfoot and spreading to the very corners of the dance floor. Once the rink was complete, Elsa waved her right hand, and ice skates appeared on her feet. She moved on to the next person, and within seconds, all four of them were wearing identical skates.

"Now come _on_ ," said Anna, grasping Kristoff's hand and pulling him into a slow skate around the edges of the rink. Elsa and Heins followed suit, and it wasn't long before Baldur came and made a request for skates for himself and Leila, which Elsa was happy to indulge. They enjoyed several peaceful minutes skating around the edge of the ice rink, and before long, all thoughts of Hans were driven from their minds as they admired the soft glow of dusk just beginning to fill the courtyard. The newlyweds were, unsurprisingly, the first to retire. _Must be anxious to… ahem, "take the ribbons off",_ thought Anna. Kristoff and Anna were next, but Leila and Baldur continued to skate together as the night turned steadily into day.

* * *

The next day, Anna dove to the side, spinning around with confident grace, swinging her sword with all her might at Kristoff's head, who caught the blow on his shield and retaliated with a fierce jab at Anna's side. She knocked his blade aside with her own and stepped back, circling her foe with wary eyes. To her left, Elsa was embroiled in a similar struggle with her new husband, taking three heavy blows in a row on her shield, struggling to keep her footing. Kristoff advanced, very aggressively- too aggressively. He raised his sword all the way above his head, shouting as he brought it down on his wife- but she was no longer there. She dove to the ground, rolling around behind Kristoff, rising and kicking his legs out from underneath him in the same motion. Kristoff collapsed on his back, and Anna placed her blade on his neck.

"I yield, I yield!" he cried. Anna jumped back, shouting for joy. It was the first time she had ever bested Kristoff in a one on one sparring match without distraction or trickery. She helped him to his feet, and they turned to watch Elsa and Heins's fight. Elsa was not doing as well as Anna. Anna had already been good with a bow and a dagger when she started learning to fight with a sword and shield, which gave her a leg up in regards to her grace and coordination- though she still managed to be as clumsy as ever when not fighting. It was amazing she hadn't lopped off her own arm at this point. Elsa had no such advantages- she was a complete novice to physical combat when she first asked Heins to teach her to fight. Anna knew she'd ask eventually. Elsa had her powers taken without her permission once, and had since then learned it could happen again. Anna knew her sister. Elsa hated being helpless. She never would be again. And so, the four of them had made a routine out of sparring in the area between one of the castle walls and the fjord, a vast grassy plain with solid footing and no big rocks or holes to twist an ankle. The rest of the Queensguard would join in quite often as well. Quite a few servants and townspeople would gather to watch if the bouts got particularly intense- like today.

"Go, Elsa!" Anna cheered. "You got this!" Just then, it became clear that Elsa did not, in fact, have this. With a single stroke and a flourish of his blade, Heins knocked Elsa's sword out of her hand, then smashed her shield out of the way, wrenching Elsa's arm to the side, then flicked his blade up to her collarbone almost faster than Anna could see. "No, Elsa…" Anna groaned. She could hardly blame her sister for the loss, however. Heins was one of the most capable swordsmen she had ever seen, and Elsa had made him promise never to go easy on her. "I'll learn faster if you don't," she had said. Heins had kept his promise. Anna had never seen anyone move their blade that fast, but still, Elsa had put up a good fight. Her skills were improving every day, although she was still the worst swordsman of the four of them.

"Well fought, dear," said Heins, taking off his mask and wiping sweat from his brow. "That was the best bout we've ever had. Nicely done."

Elsa ripped her mask off in frustration. "Not well enough. Why can't I beat you?"

"Come on, Elsa," said Anna. "Don't expect so much of yourself. That _was_ a great fight."

"Yeah," Kristoff chimed in. "You did much better than someone as new as you should have, don't beat yourself up."

"I only just now beat Kristoff, and I've been training for a lot longer than you," said Anna.

"Well isn't that great for you?" Elsa spat. Anna's face fell. Elsa's eyes widened as she realized what she had said. "Oh my god, I'm sorry Anna. I didn't mean that. That's very impressive, congratulations." Anna nodded, accepting the apology. _She's just upset, no one likes losing over and over again_. "You're right, I do expect too much of myself. I think I need a break, anyway, we've been at this too long."

"I think I've got one more in me," said Anna. "Care to watch Kristoff and I, Elsa?"

"I don't think so, Anna. I think I'd rather watch you and Heins…" she said with a grin. "See how you really stack up. Er, no offense Kristoff."

"None taken, Elsa. Heins is an incredible swordsman."

Heins grinned modestly at the praise. "Says the man who can fight me to a draw," he replied. "But I'm willing to spar, Anna, if you are."

Anna grinned. "You're on!" Elsa and Kristoff settled down in the grass to watch as Heins and Anna readied for their battle.

"Scared, Heins? You should be," Anna taunted.

"Scared of hurting your delicate features, My Lady- nothing more," he boasted in return, his eyes twinkling beneath his mask. Anna gasped in mock indignation.

"The nerve of some people…" she said, shaking her head and grinning. "Ready?"

"Ready." The battle began at once. Heins launched himself forward, looking to start and end the fight with one sure blow. Anna had been expecting this, however, having seen him do the exact same to Elsa just a few minutes ago, and she dodged to the side, wary of his longer reach and superior strength. _My advantage with Kristoff was my speed, I'm a little bit faster than he is. But Heins is so fast, it's almost cheating! I have to outthink him if I want to beat him._ Anna lunged this time, trading several fast blows before separating again. He had scored a hit on her left thigh, darting under her shield too fast for her to react, but he himself was unmarked. _I will at least mark him, but I_ can _beat him._ Anna told herself. _Just wait. Be patient. He's an excellent, but impatient, fighter. He'll be overconfident and underestimate me. He'll make a mistake if I just… wait!_

Anna's prediction came true. Heins had not noticed the precarious position he found himself in. In the early morning, the sun was now behind Anna. She stopped circling, retreating at every advance, always keeping the sun at her back, but more importantly, keeping her shield shading Heins's eyes. _Wait for it… now!_ Heins lunged at her, having grown tired of her constant retreat, and Anna spun to the right, bringing her shield to her chest. Heins's vision had already started adjusting to the shade, making the sun more blinding than he expected, and he threw an arm over his face in surprise, losing his balance. Anna dropped to one knee and extended her leg, tripping her foe and sending him sprawling into the dirt, sword trapped beneath his body. She leapt to her feet and placed her sword across his back before he could extricate his blade, then waited. In seconds, those beautiful words she could hardly believe she was hearing floated up at her: "I yield."

Screaming in delight, she threw her sword and shield to the side, yanking off her mask and collapsing in satisfaction to the grass. Elsa, Kristoff, and the gathered crowd were cheering, and Heins got up with a smile. Anna sat up as he approached. Heins sunk into a deep bow.

"That was clever of you," he said. "I didn't expect that. I'm afraid I underestimated you. It won't happen again. Well fought."

"Well fought!" she agreed, then patted her stomach. "All this victory has made me hungry. Bear me to my meal, vanquished!"

"Bear yourself," Kristoff said, walking up.

Anna pouted. "Well at least help me up!" she exclaimed, sticking both arms up in the air. "Woah!" Kristoff lifted her completely off the ground before setting her on her feet. "Thanks. Now let's go eat!" Anna marched off, leaving her poor, defeated foes to trail along in her wake.

The dining hall doors flew open with a crash and Anna marched through with her nose in the air.

"Attention!" she called. "May I have your attention, please! Your princess is weary from her defeat of the vile Prince Kristoff and King Heins, and requires sustenance. Well?"

"You actually beat those two?" asked a man at the table, after an uncomfortably long silence in which Kristoff, Elsa, and Heins fidgeted behind Anna.

"Sure did!" Anna answered, as they strolled over and pulled up chairs alongside. Kristoff flashed a four on his fingers at the servant at the head of the table, who nodded once and headed off to the kitchens.

"That's… quite impressive, Your Highness," he said. "You've come a long way."

Anna bowed her head slightly. "You'd know, wouldn't you, General? It's all thanks to you, after all." General Raston was in his late 50's, his brown beard was flecked with gray, and no matter what she said, she could not get him to call her Anna. It was always Your Highness, insisting that anything else would be improper. Anna just went with it at this point. Some people were just too set in their ways. The head of Arendelle's armies, he had been the one to first teach Anna how to fight with a sword and shield. She had wanted Kristoff to teach her, but while he was a good swordsman, he insisted that she get training from a proper teacher first, to make sure she didn't develop any bad habits in her style.

"You should have seen her, General," Elsa piped up. "It was quite impressive."

"I'm sure. I'm sorry, I usually try to get out there to watch you spar every so often, Your Highness, make sure you haven't forgotten my lessons-"

"I haven't!" Anna interjected. "I do just what you told me! Ooooh!" Just then, two servants came by and dropped off their breakfast, steaming eggs and bacon, with toast and blackberry jam on the side- Anna's favorite. "Thank you!" She started shoveling eggs into her mouth.

"Apologies, Your Highness. You fight very well-"

"Fanks!" Anna said around a mouthful of yolk.

"As I was saying, I didn't get a chance to watch today, there were some rumors of trouble in the Southern Isles-"

Heins froze. "What?" he asked. "What trouble?"

"Apologies, Your Majesty," General Raston said, raising his hand in a pacifying gesture. "I didn't mean to worry you, I'm sure everything is okay."

"What is it, General? What have you heard?"

"Nothing solid _,_ Your Majesty," he stressed. "Just rumors of an accident. I've got men investigating, but I'm sure the rumor is as false as a gambler's oath. There's nothing to be concerned about."

"Well… if you say so. Sorry," he mumbled, embarrassed. Elsa rubbed a hand across his back, trying to comfort him. General Raston finished his plate and stood.

"Please excuse me, Your Majesty. I have matters to attend to."

"Of course, General. Take care," said Elsa.

"And you as well. Your Highnesses," he said, bowing at Anna and Kristoff, then turning and walking out of the dining hall.

"You okay, Heins?" Anna was watching him in concern. Heins had stopped eating, and was leaning back in his chair with his hands on the back of his head.

"Yeah, you alright?" asked Kristoff.

"Yes, I'm fine," Heins said. "Just scared me for a second is all." He hesitated, then continued: "I just worry about my family. I don't understand why they didn't come to the wedding." No one really knew what to say to that. Anna's mood was deflating as rapidly as her suspicion was rising. She had not understood their decision not to attend either. Heins had never done anything to cause an estrangement, nor had he last parted with them in bad terms.

"Maybe they're mad?" suggested Kristoff. "You weren't the oldest of your brothers, but you certainly aren't the youngest, what are you, the fourth?" Heins nodded. "Right. So maybe they think it was improper to have someone so close to the throne of the Southern Isles marry into another kingdom?" Heins shook his head.

"I don't think that's it," he said. "For me to become king, my three elder brothers would all have to die within my lifetime, but more than that, none of them could bear heirs of their own. The odds of that are quite low. The royal family in the Southern Isles has always had many heirs, going back at least five generations, and it's not uncommon to have even the second eldest child married off somewhere else." He sat forward and placed his elbows on the table. "So why wouldn't they come? Was there really an accident?"

"I'm sure everything is fine," lied Anna, looking around at the group for support.

"Yeah," Kristoff offered, though he looked unsure. "I mean, if they didn't come because there was an accident, we'd have heard about it by now. Whatever their reasoning, I'm sure they're fine." In a clumsy attempt to change the subject, he said, "Besides, don't you two lovebirds have other things to worry about? Like packing? You leave for your honeymoon in a few hours, right?"

"We've got time," said Elsa, waving her hand as though to shoo him away. She picked up her fork again, then grinned at Anna. "Anyway, we're not the ones who should be worrying. Will the kingdom survive three weeks with Anna in charge?"

Anna drew her lips into a pout. "Oh, sure, act all high-and-mighty while you leave your poor sister to drown in politics while you take a vacation!" Elsa stuck her tongue out, and Anna flicked some egg at her.

Elsa batted it away, then said, "Does that constitute treason?"

"Oh please," Anna teased. "Who'd watch the kingdom while you're gone? You'd have to cancel your honeymoon."

"Alright, you'll live until I return. Then you'll pay!"

"We'll see about that." Anna didn't see the exasperated glance that passed between Kristoff and Heins, the "our wives are acting like children" look. They gave that look a lot.

"Alright, young lady," said Kristoff, pushing his plate away and standing. "Time to go, we've got that thing to get to Elsa before she leaves."

"Oh, yeah," said Anna.

"What's that?" asked Elsa.

"Oh, nothing, just something that came in this morning. Trade renewal, I think. Needs your signature is all," said Anna.

"Of course. Just bring it by my room when it's ready, I'll sign it before I leave."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Kristoff, lapsing as he sometimes did into the days before he himself was royalty. Elsa never seemed to mind.

The doors to the dining hall had closed with a quiet _snick_ when Anna turned to Kristoff.

"I'm worried," she said, glancing around to make sure they weren't overheard. "Here, come in here." She seized his hand and pulled him into the library. The massive Arendelle library was home to over 10,000 books in neat, straight aisles around the perimeter, and in the middle were a few dozen small tables. As one of the few places that was always open to the public, even during Elsa's isolation, a few people were usually around, but aside from some stacks of parchment on one of the tables, the room was empty. Anna swung the door closed and took a seat at one of the tables. Kristoff sat opposite her.

"I'm worried too," Kristoff confessed. "I have a terrible feeling that the rumors weren't just rumors. Because you're right, at least _one_ of his brother's should have come. What do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure. We could send _him_ out? I don't like using him without Elsa's okay, but in this situation, I don't want to worry either of them. Not today. Not now."

"I agree on the worrying part," Kristoff said. "As for the other, what is he supposed to do?"

"What he always does, spy. Gather information. He _is_ pretty good at it."

"Well, he would be," Kristoff laughed. "Alright. But you ask him. He likes you, he'll do it. But that's not all that's on your mind, is it?" _No, it's not._ "Don't worry about her, she'll have the whole Queensguard with her, nothing will happen. No one even knows where she's going."

"No, that's not it." Realization dawned in Kristoff's eyes.

"You're worried about leading?" Anna nodded. "Sweetie, it's not like you'll have to do much. Elsa's made sure of that, after all."

"I know, but it doesn't matter. Elsa was always so much better than me at this stuff. I can't do it like she can. And what if, God forbid, _he_ comes back and says something's happened in the Southern Isles?"

Kristoff shrugged. "And what if he doesn't? Don't panic about something that we don't know has happened. Send him to check, and deal with it if and when there's something to deal with."

Anna dropped her head on the table with a _thunk._ "Alright," she said at last. "Now come on, we need to get that trade renewal to Elsa."


	6. Kristoff - Gareth's Report

"My hand hurts," Anna complained. "Why don't you write more of these?"

"Because I'm not the Queen's sister. You are. Besides, this was your idea. Keep going, we're almost done." The acting Queen and her husband sat in Elsa's study, Anna at Elsa's beautiful oak desk, and Kristoff at a smaller table near the door. It was a week after the wedding, on a gorgeous summer's Saturday. The sun was high in the sky, the birds were singing, there was a gentle breeze, and Anna and Kristoff were stuck inside, writing thank you notes to every single one of the several thousand wedding guests. Elsa had only asked them to write thank you's to the nobility that had attended, but Anna wanted to send them to all the townspeople as well. Kristoff thought she was crazy, but Anna insisted. So inside they sat. _Is it possible to write until your hand falls off?_ Kristoff mused. _We're about to find out_. A large white-tailed eagle flew in through the open window, soaring over Anna's head and landing on Elsa's desk, ruffling its feathers. It let out a loud screech.

"Hello, Gareth," Anna said, not looking up from her letter (which Kristoff couldn't help but notice were getting shorter and shorter the more of them she wrote). "It's all clear in here, go ahead." The eagle screeched again and fluttered to the ground in front of Elsa's desk. Kristoff looked away, he hated to watch this. Several minutes (and more than several sounds Kristoff wished he could block out) later, a man stood where the eagle had been. He was dressed in what could have been jester's clothes, a skintight suit that covered his whole body. It revealed a bit more of him than Kristoff preferred, but it was better than what it used to be every time he changed back. He was in his early 30's, dark haired with an intricate mustache that he was meticulous about grooming. He was rather meek, which Kristoff wasn't fond of, but had shown remarkable bravery in a few situations, one of which was the only reason Kristoff was alive.

Out of all the magicians he had ever encountered or heard of, Gareth was the only one of whom Kristoff was jealous. Any living creature that Gareth was able to touch, he could then turn into, changing back and forth at will. He was not sure himself of how many creatures he could have at a time, but right now, his count was over two dozen of all shapes and sizes. But his favorite form, and the reason Kristoff was jealous, was the white-tailed eagle he had been just seconds ago. _What it must feel like to actually_ fly _, to look down at the ground below and know that only a pair of fragile wings holds you up, defying gravity itself… incredible._ He had saved Kristoff's life once, during an attack by one of the bandit clans from the mountains. He was a gray wolf at the time, and he leapt out of the shadows and bit the throat out of a man who had gotten the upper hand on Kristoff. Ever since then, Kristoff had been very respectful towards Gareth. Hard to remain aloof from someone who saves your life.

"I have a report, Your Highness-" Gareth started.

"It's Anna, Gareth, how many times-"

"It's not a pleasant report." Kristoff's stomach sank.

Anna paused in her writing and closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths. They did not open as she said, "Report, then."

"Well… There was an accident in the Southern Isles, involving the Royal family." He steeled himself, then pressed on. "I'm afraid… there were only three survivors. The King and Queen are dead, as well as eight of the Princes." Kristoff stood up in surprise, mouth agape. Anna did not react. The birds outside continued to sing, seeming to mock his words.

"Who survived?" Anna asked, her voice calm.

"Harold, Hubert, and Hedvik. Harold is now the eldest, and he rules from the Island Throne. There's more, I'm afraid." Anna did not respond. "Um… King Harold has ordered the army to mobilize. I was unable to discern for what purpose."

"Very well," said Anna, in the same, level tone. "Is that all?"

Gareth looked like he was uneasy with Anna's reaction, or lack thereof. So was Kristoff, if he was honest. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Then you are dismissed. Send in the guard when you go."

Gareth bowed and hurried to obey, anxious to leave. Kristoff was shocked; he had never seen Anna act like this, so collected, so commanding. The heavy oak doors had only just swung shut when they opened again, and a member of the Castle Guard stepped through. "Your Highness?" he questioned.

"Please fetch General Raston immediately. And Sir Alan and Dame Cari as well, as fast as you can." The man bowed and rushed off. As soon as he was gone, Anna dropped her face in her hands and remained motionless.

"Anna?" Kristoff asked, unsure of what to do. There was no reply. He tried again, louder this time. Still nothing. Kristoff had yet to make up his mind on what to do when the door began to creak open. At once, Anna shot straight up in her chair, her eyes dry and her face focused. _Oh, I see what she's doing,_ thought Kristoff, realization dawning. _She's in 'what would Elsa do?' territory._ General Raston stepped through the door and closed it behind him, coming to stand at attention several feet from Elsa's desk.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, General."

"It's my duty, Your Highness," he said, and bowed. Anna again failed to protest the use of the title. "How may I be of service?"

"Wait a moment, we have more coming." General Raston fell silent at once, just standing at attention while they waited. Birdsong continued to float through the open window. It felt wrong, somehow. Disrespectful. Didn't they know what had just happened?

The doors opened yet again, and Alan and Cari came through. They shot questioning looks at Kristoff, who gestured to Anna. Anna stood and walked around in front of Elsa's desk.

"I'm afraid you were mistaken, General," she said.

"I'm sorry?"

"Yes. It seems those rumors were more than rumors." Her tone was like ice.

"But- what do you mean?" asked General Raston. He was evidently under the impression that the Princess was accusing him of something.

"I have received a very credible report that says that not only were they much more than rumors, but that nearly the entire Royal Family is dead. What's more, the new King is mobilizing his armies."

"But, Your Highness, I- I didn't know-" Raston stammered.

"Peace, General. You misunderstand my tone. I do not blame you."

The tiniest sigh of relief, then, "Your Highness, if I may ask, what is it you need me to do?"

Anna chuckled without humor. "A King, a Queen, and eight Princes are dead. The new King is mobilizing his armies. There is foul play here, and I want it found out- immediately."

"You said eight Princes," said Cari, observant as always. It was Kristoff's favorite quality about her. "That's three short. Who lives?"

"Harold, Hubert, and Hedvik. Those names will mean nothing to you, but I've met them a few times in the past several years, so I'll explain briefly. Harold, third eldest and oldest surviving Prince, has become King. He is very cunning, but he prefers to work in deception and underhanded diplomacy. I don't trust him. Open war is not how I think he'd prefer to proceed, but still, the army is being marshaled, so war it must be. As for Hubert-"

"Begging your pardon, Your Highness," said Raston with unusual hesitance, somewhat shaken by Anna's unusual domination of the room. "While it does seem foul play is afoot, and even assuming it is, that may not mean that the new King is seeking war. Whenever a royal family is so shaken, there will always be kingdoms that seek to take advantage. It may just be a precaution."

Anna considered a moment, then nodded. "You raise a good point, General, one that I hadn't yet thought of, but it's still worrying. I want this lead followed up on regardless. Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes, Hubert. The 5th brother. As strong as he is dumb. Not a large threat, all things considered. Prefers to deal with things in brute force- but that makes it easy to tell what's coming. Then Hedvik- 10th, no, sorry, 9th oldest. Military commander of the Southern Isles. Brilliant tactician. Possibly the one pulling the strings, he's definitely the smartest of the bunch."

"Ah, yes," said Raston. "I've heard of that one. He's the one that held King's Pass with under a thousand men, correct?"

"For over five days until reinforcements arrived, yes. Assuming, as I am now, that all three had something to do with this, you understand what we're up against. This is what we're going to do. General Raston, I want us on war footing as soon as possible. How soon is that?"

"I can have 10,000 troops ready by the end of next week. The rest will take longer. Perhaps a month."

Anna winced. The Southern Isles reserve alone was larger than that. "Alright, it'll have to do. You are dismissed. Wait," she said as he turned to go. "Have a ship readied for a trip to the Southern Isles, the fastest we can get. It doesn't need to be large or comfortable." He saluted and left.

"Kristoff," Anna said, turning to her husband. "You and Sir Alan are to go to the Southern Isles immediately. You shall be my official envoys, there to convey my royal sympathies and nothing more. Do your best to find out what you can, but just in case, take Gareth as well. He will certainly prove useful."

"What will you do?" asked Kristoff.

"Cari will escort me to go bring Heins the news personally. I know he'd want to know. The honeymoon will just have to be cut short." She didn't look excited at the prospect, and dropped her eyes. As soon as her gaze left him, Kristoff jerked his head at the door. Alan and Cari got the hint, leaving at once and shutting the door behind them. Kristoff looked at his Anna, whose eyes were welling up with tears. He raced to her side and gathered her up in his arms. "How'd I do?" she whispered.

"You never fail to impress me," Kristoff answered, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

She sniffled. "I just tried to do what Elsa would do."

"She'd be very proud, then." Anna pulled away and took a deep breath. She wiped her eyes and straightened up, all traces of fear and doubt gone once more, save for a slight redness in her eyes.

"This isn't going to be easy."

"No. No it won't. Stay strong, sweetie. Good luck."

"To you as well."

"I love you."

"I love you too."


	7. Elsa - Bearer of Bad News

_If this is married life, the rest of my life will be an absolute breeze!_ A nagging voice told her she was probably wrong, but she brushed it away with ease. It was two weeks after the wedding, and Elsa had never been happier. Her honeymoon at the cabin was going splendid. The days were filled with hikes in the mountains, seeing majestic vistas and beautiful forests, swimming and sunbathing in the lake (although Elsa was frustrated at her pale skin's complete refusal to tan), and the nights were candlelit dinners and intimate fireside lovemaking, afterwards heading to bed, wrapped in each other's arms, then waking up to do it all again, all without a single care in the world.

It was also helpful to Elsa's mental exhaustion. She had not been out of the public eye since soon after the ordeal that left her back and arms striped with ropy scars, which wreaked constant havoc with her already shaky self-esteem. But here, Elsa was forced to admit, Heins's clear attraction to her and complete removal of her worries let her, for the first time in years, not only not worry about the scars, but actually feel a little, dare she say it, _sexy_. Right now, they were in the "swimming and sunbathing" stage of the day, Elsa lying on a small raft of ice with Heins swimming slow laps around her. The sun was winking through the tops of the trees on the horizon, and the day was waning.

"How can you float on that thing, anyway?" Heins asked after a while, treading water near Elsa.

"It's easy. Ice floats, I'm on the ice. Is that hard to figure out?" Elsa teased.

"Oh har har. You know what I mean. How are you not freezing? I'm cold just being in the water near it."

"Come on, you know cold's never bothered me."

"How about water?" Heins appeared near her raft, grabbing the sides and flipping it over, dunking Elsa into the lake. Elsa emerged, sputtering. Her raft was melting rapidly, now that she was no longer concentrating on it.

"How _dare_ you!" she cried. "I'm the queen, you can't do that to me!"

"And _I'm_ the king," he said, sticking his tongue out at her. "And you have no one to blame for that but yourself."

"Well that's true," she laughed, drawing him close and giving him a long kiss. When they parted, Heins smiled.

"How do you feel about that decision now, Your Majesty?"

"I have my doubts sometimes," she said, giving him an exaggerated suspicious glare. "But I suppose you'll do until someone better comes along."

Heins grinned and said,."Funny, I was thinking the same thing." Elsa giggled.

"Oh, you hush now." Elsa looked around. The sun had dipped below the trees, and darkness was falling. "Come on, let's head back. I'm hungry!"

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Heins said.

Back in the cabin, after an excellent dinner of honey roasted ham, Elsa and Heins were on the floor in front of a crackling fire, both breathing hard after their most recent lovemaking session. _How could I ever have doubted that Heins was the right choice?_ The flames were dancing in the fireplace, bathing the room in a warm glow, and Elsa was amusing Heins by drawing designs and patterns of alternating beauty and silliness in ice on the walls. She was on silly this time, and she had just gotten through putting the finishing touches on a rather inappropriate drawing of Kristoff and Sven when there was a knock at the door. Heins groaned.

"How many times does the Queensguard really need to check that you're still here?" he asked. "Honestly, this is about the tenth time tonight they've done this. Can't they leave us alone for ten minutes?"

"Oh, don't exaggerate," Elsa scolded. "This is only the third time tonight. They're just doing their jobs. I'll take this one. Besides, it could have been worse… they could have come twenty minutes ago." Heins chuckled, and she kissed his cheek and stood. She melted the crude drawing with a wave of her hand, and was halfway to the door when she realized that opening the door in her present state of dress _(or undress_ , she sniggered) could be rather embarrassing. Concentrating for a moment, a shimmer of ice swept around her, leaving her clothed in a simple blue gown. Satisfied she would not cause a scandal to whoever happened to be outside, she crossed the entryway and threw open the door.

"I'm fine, you guys, I'm… _Anna?_ " Her sister stood at the door, her face an expressionless mask. No, not quite expressionless- suppressed. She seemed like she had been traveling fast. Her clothes were dirty, and sweat shined on her forehead. Her red hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, and large bags rested under her teal eyes. _Oh no. What's happened?_

"Can I come in?" Anna asked in a quiet voice. "I have something I have to tell Heins." The magic illusion of her honeymoon daze was crashing around Elsa's ears.

"Er- one second. I'll be right back." Elsa slammed the door and hurried to throw Heins some clothes, a simple shirt and some tan breeches. "Anna's here," she hissed. "Get dressed." Once Heins was fully clothed, Elsa opened the door, and Anna stepped through.

"Anna!" Heins said, with evident cheer. He still thought that this was a happy visit. "What a wonderful surprise! Are you here… to-" He faltered as he beheld Anna's face. "What's wrong?"

Anna sniffed, and Elsa could see the tears were threatening to come. "Heins… I'm afraid I have very bad news. You may want to sit down." _Oh dear God, no._ Elsa went to her husband, pulling him over to the couch and sitting him down. He clutched Elsa's hand.

"What's happened?" His face was pale.

Anna stood in front of the couple, taking several deep breaths. Her voice was shaky, and the color had drained from her face. "Your family was involved in some sort of accident in the Southern Isles. We don't quite know what happened yet, but it was very bad." Her eyes dropped. _Oh my god._ The air became thick, as though someone had dropped a heavy blanket over them all. Even the crackling fire sounded dulled.

Heins was shaking his head, like he didn't understand. "What do you mean? I mean, was anyone hurt?"

"Heins… I'm so sorry. Only three of your brothers survived. The rest of your family didn't make it."

Heins looked away, reeling from the news. "...How?" he asked at last.

"We don't know yet." Anna's voice was starting to crack, and she shook her head as though to clear it. When she next spoke, her voice did not waver. "All we know is that the King and Queen died, along with eight of the Princes."

"Who…" Heins voice faltered. He wiped a hand over his face, swallowed and tried again. "Who survived?"

"Harold, Hedvik, and Hubert." At once, Heins's face darkened.

"This was no accident," he declared, voice taking on an aggressive edge. "But you knew that already, didn't you?"

Anna was flustered at his tone, thrown by his anger. "Well, um, we don't really know that for sure-"

"Don't lie to me," he said. Elsa had to speak up.

"Heins… why would you think she's lying?" Elsa asked.

"Because those names did not surprise me," Heins said, and there was so much pain and rage and grief in his voice Elsa had to suppress a sob.

"I'm sorry, but there's something else," Anna said, voice growing in strength as she spoke. "Harold has marshaled the army. We don't know why."

"I'll tell you why," said Heins. A fire was burning in his eyes. "War."

"We don't know that yet-"

Heins leapt to his feet, wrenching his hand out of Elsa's grasp. "Of course we do!" he screamed. "My family is dead, and they killed them! Why else would they call the army?"

"Heins, calm down!" Elsa pleaded, trying and failing to pull him back down to the couch.

"It's alright, Elsa," said Anna, in a calm voice, unlike anything Elsa had ever heard. "Heins, I'm sorry about your family. But if you think for one second I'm stupid enough to not suspect foul play, then your judgement is more clouded than I expected." Anna was using an authoritative tone that Elsa didn't know she was even capable of. _She's grown up a lot in the past few years. She's acting like… well, a queen._ Anna continued, "Of course we suspect that Harold means to start a war. Of course we suspect that the accident was no accident. Kristoff and Alan are on their way to the Southern Isles now to attempt a diplomatic solution. But-"

"Diplomacy won't work! Don't you get-"

Anna cut him off with a raised hand, which had such authority behind it that Heins appeared to choke on his words. "I do not expect a solution to be found. They are there to gather as much information as possible, and Gareth went with them to assist. I understand your grief, so I forgive your assumptions, but do not think that the situation is not being handled as it should." Elsa was stunned. She had never heard Anna speak with such forceful authority. _I'm not sure I could have handled that as well as she did_ , Elsa thought. _Maybe I've just been too wrapped up in myself lately to notice how capable she's become._ Either way, it was clear that this was a new Anna, or at least a new side to her. Heins stared at her as though seeing her for the first time.

"I'm sorry to do this," she said. "Truly, I am. I thought about waiting until you both got back to tell you, but I thought Heins had a right to know." Heins tried to speak, but the words would not escape his lips, so he just nodded. "Elsa? Can I have a word with you?" Elsa muttered her approval, making sure to get Heins sat back on the couch before she kissed his cheek and followed her sister outside.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind them, Anna sagged against the wall and slid to the floor, drawing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. "That was really…" The words caught in her throat and she swallowed. "That was really hard." Elsa hiked up her dress and sat next to her sister, putting an arm around her and stroking her hair.

"You did very well," Elsa said.

"Thanks," Anna said. "I just tried to act like you." _It's a good thing you didn't_ , Elsa thought. _I can't see how I could have handled that better._ Unsure of how to say that without sounding stupid, Elsa remained silent. After a few moments, Anna drew away from her by a few inches, burying her face in her arms. _She was trying to compliment you, and you sit there like a statue. Wonderful_.

Trying to cover her mistake, Elsa asked, "So what now?"

"You're the Queen." The muffled answer was a little colder than Elsa would have liked. _Fix this,_ Elsa told herself. _Now._

"Hey, don't underestimate yourself. I don't think I could have handled that as well as you. You know more about the situation than I do, and I'll be distracted by Heins. I'm asking you as your sister, not your Queen. What now?"

Anna took a deep breath and raised her head. "Well, I'm not sure," she started. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead. Right now, Alan and Kristoff will be in the Southern Isles. I suppose… I mean, all we can really do is go back to Arendelle and wait?"

"Then that's what we'll do. Can you go get the Queensguard? They're in a little camp about a quarter mile-" Elsa pointed "-that way, while I go take care of Heins?"

"Okay." Her tone was a bit warmer than it had been, and Elsa noted the change. _She's under a lot of stress. A situation like this while she's in charge. She doesn't know how to do this, but she is anyway- but it's taking its toll._ Elsa rose and pulled Anna to her feet, then went back inside. Heins was sitting on the couch with his face in his hands, tears leaking from between his fingers, his body trembling with quiet sobs.


	8. Kristoff - Ghost Town

Kristoff stood at the bow of the _Icicle_ , the newest and fastest ship in the Arendelle navy, enjoying the spray of the sea across his face. The Southern Isles were close now, no more than a mile out. When they had first glimpsed land a short while ago, the capital city of Aalborg had looked as though it was business as usual. But as they approached, Kristoff found his heart filling with dread. The city took up the entire horseshoe shaped island. Try as he might, Kristoff could see not a single living soul in the entire place. The docks, nestled in the crook of the island, the largest dock system in the world, were always bustling with trade and travel, but today, they were all but deserted, long piers stretching out into the water like grasping fingers, and only two small ships bobbing in the surf at one of the docks. The streets were almost empty, the storefronts closed and locked. The very few people Kristoff was able to spot were clumped in tight groups, as though expecting someone to leap out from every shadow and attack them. Even the castle, which was twice as large and grand as Arendelle's, had taken on a somehow sickly appearance, as though it could sense the uneasiness of the city.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Alan had joined Kristoff, unnoticed by the Prince, and his gaze matched Kristoff's. His face was carved with lines of worry. Alan was openly wearing his Queensguard armor, unlike Kristoff, garbed in his royal dress whites. He never liked wearing them, much preferring the furs of his youth or at least the comfortable tunic and breeches he often wore around the castle back home. But alas, he was dressed like a pompous ass with a big head. He had always seen royalty as arrogant and snide, and even now, after Anna, after Elsa, even after his own princehood, he could never quite shake that prejudice.

"Me too, Alan. Where is everyone?" His friend shrugged. "Are they hiding from us? And why do they look so scared?"

"Not sure," Alan answered. "What are we going to do to them? Two people, only one of them armed? They're not afraid of us, that's for sure."

"Maybe they think Elsa is here." That stopped Alan for a bit, who chewed on his lip, considering.

"No," he said at last. "I mean, Elsa is certainly one to be treated with a healthy amount of respect, but she's never used her powers militarily, plus, they would have no reason to think Arendelle would attack in the first place."

"That leaves one option."

"Yep. They're afraid from within."

The _Icicle_ docked at one of the open piers closest to the town. The helmsman was old and very skilled, and he maneuvered the ship into position with ease. Two more deckhands extended the gangplank and stood back, allowing Kristoff to lead the way off the ship.

"We'll await your return here then, Your Highness," one of them said. Kristoff waved over his shoulder in acknowledgement as he stepped onto the dock.

"Look," Alan said, pointing. "Someone's coming." A guard was approaching them from the city. From the look of him, he came from the castle itself. "Think they saw us coming?" Kristoff shrugged before the guard stopped short of them and saluted. He was a young man, no more than twenty, and his eyes had a strange glazed look about them, and when he spoke, his speech was halted.

"Good afternoon- Your Highness. To what- do we owe- the pleasure?"

"Good afternoon," answered Kristoff. "We are merely here to extend Arendelle's sympathies to King Harold." The man smiled, but it did not reach his eyes.

"I'm sorry- but King Harold is- not accepting any- visitors- right now. If- you'd please take- our apologies- and go now." Kristoff was ill at ease by now, but he didn't let it show.

"Surely, the King has time for a Prince of Arendelle simply expressing condolences? We've had a long journey, and I'm afraid I must insist." The guard in front of them swayed on his feet, and he seemed to be looking far past Kristoff. "Is there a problem, son?"

"No- no problem, Your- Highness. This way- please." He gestured down the docks to the town. Kristoff could tell by the look on Alan's face that he felt about as good about this as Kristoff. _Well, if this charade must be played out, then we might as well play our part- but carefully._

 _I feel like I'm being watched,_ thought Kristoff as they entered the town. _I don't see anyone at all, but I'm sure someone sees me._ The air felt somehow thick, as though a malevolent presence was all around them. Hoping to distract himself from the oppressive silence, Kristoff tried to strike up a conversation with the guard.

"So where is everyone? I've never see Aalborg so quiet."

"They are in- mourning," said the guard, without looking at Kristoff. "There was an- accident. The royal family- was- involved." Kristoff was bewildered.

"We know," he said. "That's why we're here."

"Yes- of course. There was- an- accident. The royal family was- involved." Alan and Kristoff glanced at each other, and Alan rested his hand on his sword. They fell back a little bit and let the guard get ahead of them. He didn't seem to notice.

"What the hell is going on here?" muttered Alan.

"I have no clue. But all of this- it's not right. None of this is right."

"What do we do?" They had passed out of the docks district and were heading into the winding streets of the business district. Every single shop was not only closed, but boarded up. The feeling of eyes on Kristoff intensified.

"What _can_ we do?" Kristoff said. "We can't do anything until we know there's something wrong."

"Something _is_ wrong, Kristoff."

"Well, I know. But we can't prove it. We're on a diplomatic mission."

Alan sighed. "Alright. But this is strange. Where the hell is everyone? Why does this guy look like he's been drugged? _Has_ he been? What the hell is going on?"

"This- way please," the guard called to them. They had lagged behind a bit too much, and the man had turned around. "Not much- further now. Right- through here," he said, gesturing to walkway under an ornate arch carved with dozens of intricate scenes of the sea. Kristoff and Alan stepped through the arch, and got their first good look at the castle. The castle was situated on a hill in the middle of the U of the island, reaching up from the center of the town. Two enormous watchtowers rested on the east and west sides of the castle, and Kristoff knew that from the top of either one, you could see the entirety of the Southern Isles, and you could just make out the foggy shape of the mainland. The main body of the castle was three stories high, with narrow windows every few feet stretching from the foundations to the roof. There was no moat, but the outer wall was a formidable sight- two stories tall with dozens of arrow slits covering it at odd intervals, with a wide walkway and sharp iron bars facing out from the top, which cut invading armies to shreds before they ever even made the top of the wall. The Southern Isles, and Aalborg in particular, had long been a favorite target for pirates, and they had learned to defend themselves very well.

Their escort pushed open the ornate wooden doors, adorned with the Southern Isles sigil of a shield emblazoned with a cross. Here, too, they found that the castle was as deserted as the town. The marble floors were polished to a mirror shine, but the entire place felt sterile, absent of servants, nobility, townspeople- anyone. Their escort crossed the entrance hall without so much as looking at the men he was leading, pushing open a smaller, but equally ornate, set of doors and standing back in a respectful pose.

"Please wait- here for King Harold." His eyes were unfocused, and each word was slurred, as though he were drunk. Kristoff nodded and stepped through, Alan right behind him. The doors swung shut behind him. They were in a throne room much like Arendelle's, a white marble floor with a high backed chair that appeared to be carved out of solid gold (though Kristoff doubted it actually was) in front of a large stained glass window that cast the shield of the Southern Isles in brilliant colors all around the room. Two smaller but comfortable looking chairs sat a few yards from the throne.

"Kristoff?" Alan said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah?"

"You ever feel so uncomfortable in your life?"

"No. Something weird is going on." They heard the slight sound of a door latch, then a smiling man came out from behind the chair. Unlike his brothers, Harold had brown hair down to his shoulders. He was dressed in the traditional kingly attire for the Southern Isles, a velvet robe with white fur trim. A golden crown rested on his brow, set with 12 jewels of different colors, one for each of the islands in his kingdom.

"My friends," he said, in a wispy voice almost too quiet to hear. "Welcome! Please, make yourselves comfortable. Can I offer you some refreshment?" He gestured to a table Kristoff had not noticed, piled high with delicious looking pastries and coffee. Kristoff declined as politely as he could, feeling it might be improper to eat in such circumstances. Harold nodded as though he expected the answer, then seated himself in his throne. "To what do I owe the immense pleasure of your visit?" he asked in the same soft tone.

"We wished to convey Arendelle's sincere sympathies in this time of tragedy, Your Majesty," said Kristoff, remembering just in time not to bow. It was still a habit to bow to people wearing crowns.

"Thank you, Your Highness. If I may, I'd like to request that we dispense of the formalities. We are allies, after all, are we not, and this is far from a normal time. Please, call me Harold."

"Very well," said Kristoff, suspicious, but willing to see where this led. "You may feel free to call me Kristoff, if you wish it, and this is Alan."

"In that case, Kristoff, your sympathies are much appreciated. The tragedy that befell my family grieves me greatly, but none so much as to think what my dear brother Heins must be going through, to be away for so long, then to lose so many in such a way. How is he doing?" Kristoff did not expect this question. It had the air of a genuine question, and it was so full of obvious sympathy that part of Kristoff felt guilty for suspecting Harold of having nefarious plans. Then he remembered the eerie silence in the town outside the castle, and he berated himself for being manipulated so easily, at the same time annoyed about how quickly Harold had thrown him. In the years since he had become royalty, Kristoff had learned a great deal as to diplomacy and translating the doublespeak of others, but he paled in comparison to someone born, raised, and groomed for that life.

"I'm not sure as to his condition, Harold. All I know is that Princess Anna took him the news personally the day we left Arendelle."

"I see." He drummed his fingers on his throne, as though considering a matter of great importance. "Well, I hope he is able to find peace." His tone had become even softer, if it were even possible at this point. The same slight smile warped his features, and Kristoff found it disconcerting.

"And so do we all." Kristoff paused, then, "There is one more reason for our visit, if you'd be so kind as to indulge us."

"Of course, my friends. What can I help you with?"

"We are aware of the recent activities of your army. May I ask what your intentions are?" Harold's smile widened.

"I believe I understand. You are clearly worried that I have… unpleasant plans for the army, but I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth."

Kristoff adjusted his stance, but tried to keep it neutral. "Then what is the purpose?"

"Simple- deterrence."

"Beg your pardon?" The smile widened again.

"I am a newly crowned king. The royal family has been completely fractured, down to the very core. There are many kingdoms that would love to take advantage of the situation. I am simply taking steps to ensure that that does not happen."

Kristoff frowned. "And did you think no one would come to your aid if that did happen?" Harold did not reply, so Kristoff continued. "I've no ties to the Southern Isles, myself. But even I wouldn't stand idly by if I knew someone tried to usurp the throne upon which you sit." It was a threat, and not very well veiled, but Harold did not react. "And that's just me, personally. What do you think your brother would do? He controls Arendelle just as much as Queen Elsa, now. He wouldn't allow anything to happen. But you knew all of this already. What's your game?"

"There is no game, my friend, I just-" began Harold, a little less warm this time, but Kristoff cut across him.

"Do you know who I am?" Kristoff shot at Harold, who raised his eyebrows, but looked almost pleased that Kristoff wasn't buying his diplomacy, as though he considered it as big a waste of time as Kristoff did. Kristoff felt Alan shift next to him, and knew he was preparing to draw his sword if necessary.

"Prince Kristoff Bjorgman, born an ice harvester, parents died when you were a child, raised by trolls, married your way into Royalty by way of Princess Anna seven years ago after the incident with Queen Elsa's turbulent coronation," Harold recited lazily, his geniality gone by now. "Your point?"

"I take it from your answer that you know I wasn't born yesterday, so I'd appreciate it if you stopped treating me like I was and give me a straight answer. What is the purpose of your military actions? Where are your townspeople? We passed not a single one on our way here. What happened to the rest of your family so that you now sit here as king?"

Harold got to his feet, his face now as hard as the stone beneath them. "I was unaware it was any of Arendelle's business what I do with my army or what my people do in my own city."

"It's our business if you're trying to start a war, which is what will happen if you continue with your aggressive military actions!" Kristoff fired back.

"Are you threatening me?" Harold asked, his voice now taking on a dangerous edge.

"No, I'm warning you. Arendelle will stand beside you if you are forced to defend yourselves, but we will not stand for aggression from the Southern Isles." There was a long silence.

"Very well. Would you be satisfied if I began stepping down operations after the funerals?"

"I suppose that will have to do." Harold laughed, his geniality returning as suddenly as it had vanished.

"Excellent, my friend! Will there be anything else I can help you with?"

"I believe that is all of my concerns," said Kristoff, trying not to show how disconcerted he was by the rapid changes in atmosphere. "Thank you."

"In that case, please excuse me. I have many matters to attend to." He clapped his hands twice, and the same guard from before entered the hall. "Please escort Prince Kristoff and his guard back to their ship. Oh, and Kristoff," he called as Kristoff turned to go. "You asked what accident befell my family. Their ship was lost at sea as they sailed for Arendelle, bound for my brother's wedding." With that, he rose, went behind his throne, and was gone, leaving Kristoff standing speechless in the middle of the throne room.

"This- way, Your- Highness," the guard stammered in his halting speech. Once they were out of the castle, Kristoff turned to him.

"I think we remember the way, thank you." At once, a change came over the man. His face contorted in terror, and his eyes went wide. His lips started to form a word, then his eyes glazed over once again and his face went blank.

"Of course, My- Lords. Please have- a safe journey." _What the hell was that?_ thought Kristoff. They walked briskly back to the _Icicle_ and had the crew cast off as soon as they could, then headed down to the crew quarters to change into more comfortable clothes.

"So," said Alan, sitting down on a cot.

"So," Kristoff said, leaning up against the hull.

"What the hell was all that, Kristoff?"

"I have no idea," Kristoff said. He sighed. "All I know is something was seriously wrong with that guard. I've seen those eyes before. You have too."

"Yeah," Alan was nodding. "Elsa, in the camp. The Dreamwalker's back."

"That's what I thought too. Then there at the end- he broke through. He tried to warn us, I'm sure of it."

"But how? His control over Elsa was complete, it took Marshmallow rampaging in to distract him enough to break it. I don't know about you, but I didn't see any fourteen foot tall snow monsters around."

Kristoff considered this a moment. Then, he said, "Okay, let's assume it was the Dreamwalker. Does that also mean that Hans is back?"

"Hmm. It's possible, I suppose. If the Dreamwalker survived the camp, Hans could have too. But where is he?"

"That's the thing. What if they're a long way away? I trust Gareth, if he says the Southern Isles is marshaling the army, they're marshaling the army. But where are they? I didn't see any signs of military activity on any of the islands sailing in, or many signs of life at all in the capitol, come to think of it."

"No, nor did I," agreed Alan. "So the Dreamwalker and the army are far away, possibly in the same location. Hans may be involved. What about Harold? If Hans is back, does Harold know about it?"

"I'm not sure. But we need to assume they're all in it together. If we're wrong, great. If not, at least we'll be somewhat prepared."


	9. Heins - Reinforcements

"... and the whole city was practically deserted, it was really bizarre."

"When we got into the castle, there was no one there either. We went back into the throne room…"

Heins sat in Elsa's study, his wife next to him, listening to Kristoff and Alan's report. Baldur and Leila leaned against the wall under a large painting of Elsa's father, and Silas brooded in the corner. Alarik, Liam, and General Raston stood in the center of the room behind Kristoff and Alan. Heins and Elsa had returned to Arendelle earlier that day, and the _Icicle_ had barely pulled into port by the time Heins was down on the docks, anxious for any news. To his credit, Kristoff was gentle in telling Heins that he didn't want saying anything yet, but it was only Elsa's presence that kept Heins from shoving him into the water. Elsa had not left Heins's side since Anna had turned his world upside down two days ago. His family, even though he hadn't seen them in a while, _defined_ him, he was no one without family. He had lost one brother years ago. To lose the rest was an almost unbearable pain. To make matters worse, no one he loved, save Elsa, seemed to want to look him in the eyes. He couldn't really blame them- what do you say to someone who just lost eight brothers and his parents- but it still made him feel like a leper _._

"... and then we knew for sure. It's the Dreamwalker. He's back."

There was a heavy silence for a moment, then, "If the Dreamwalker survived, surely Hans did as well." It was Elsa, and her voice was cold and hard.

"We don't know that yet, Your Majesty," said Alan, holding out a placating hand. "But it seems likely." His brow furrowed in confusion, and he pointed behind Elsa. "Uhh?" A white tailed eagle was perched on the windowsill, tapping at the window with his beak.

"Ah," said Anna. "That." She shot an apologetic look at Elsa, then shrugged. "Well, it's time everyone knew anyway. Can someone let him in?" Heins turned around and unlatched the window. He pointed outside, and the eagle nodded (a very strange sight, to see a bird nodding so normally, so _human_ , no matter how many times Heins had seen it) and flew off, clearing the way for Heins to throw the window open and stand back. Gareth flared coming through the door and came to rest on Elsa's desk. He looked at Elsa, who nodded. Gareth ruffled his feathers and hopped to the ground.

"You guys may not want to watch this," warned Anna. "He's one of the new magicians helping us out. He was the source that confirmed the accident in the Southern Isles." A murmur of understanding rang through the room, and most of the Queensguard averted their eyes at her advice, but Heins had never seen a full transformation, and was curious to see it. He'd soon wish he hadn't.

The eagle began to swell many times in size, ballooning up to just under Heins's full height. Feathers turned pink and melted into flesh, which smoothed into tanned skin. The top of his beak split open across his face, one half forming his nose, and the other, his top lip. His front talons split into five and shrank into toes, while his rear talon flowed into his heel with an uncomfortable sucking sound. His insides rearranged with horrifying squelching noises, and his legs thickened and sprouted hair. The last thing to change was his wings, fingers growing from the wingtips even as the massive wings shrank back into arms. When he was fully a man again, he bowed to the Queen.

"Your Majesty," he said. "I did not know you'd be back so soon."

"It was not my intent. Why are you here?"

Before he could answer, Anna spoke. "He's here on my orders."

Elsa's eyebrows shot up. "Yours?"

"Mine," Anna confirmed, slipping back into the commanding tone she had been forced to use over the past few days. "I sent him with Kristoff and Alan. I was afraid that the two of them, clever as they are, would not be able to discern the true motives of King Harold's actions. So I sent Gareth to support their investigation. What news, Gareth?" Most of the Queensguard stood staring at Anna, having never heard her speak like that before.

"Apologies, Your Highness," he said, bowing in Anna's direction this time. "I fear that all I have to bring is more bad news."

"Out with it then," said Liam.

"Very well," he said, straightening up and shooting a disgruntled look at Liam. "I wasn't able to discover much while Kristoff and Alan were there. I had no crowds to blend in with in the town. So I went eagle for a while, and I noticed that wherever the army was, it was not in the Southern Isles."

"What?" asked Elsa. "Where else could it be?"

"I wondered the same thing. I was able to gain access to the castle after Prince Kristoff left. Flew in through an open window into Harold's study. On his desk was a missive from Weselton, regarding Harold's request for an alliance."

"That's not good," said Elsa. "The two of them together would be unstoppable. What-"

"They refused the alliance." Elsa's next words caught in her throat.

"What?" said Anna.

"They refused," Gareth confirmed. "It bore the Duke's signature." Heins had to suppress a scowl when he thought of the vile little man who had once tried to have Elsa locked up like a beast.

"Why?" asked Cari. "Why would they refuse? It makes no sense. The Southern Isles and Weselton- it seems like a natural alliance, all things considered."

"That was my opinion as well, miss." Cari looked bemused at the unfamiliar honorific. "So I decided to check it out. That's why I'm late- I traveled to Weselton. And, I'm sorry, here's where the bad news _really_ comes in," he said, a little apprehensive.

"Please continue, Gareth," said Elsa.

"Weselton is fallen. The Duke is dead, and the city and surrounding areas have been conquered by the Southern Isles. Been there quite some time, as it appeared, certainly before Prince Kristoff met with King Harold." Gareth adjusted his stance and continued. "The Duke was not a popular man, as you already knew. There seemed to be little resistance to the Southern Isles. Most of the people seemed to welcome the invaders. Harold has declared the creation of a new Empire, and as we speak, the Southern Isles and the Weselton armies are heading northwards, towards Corona- to try to conquer that as well, I'm sure."

"What?" Elsa exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "They must be warned!"

"I already did, Your Majesty. As soon as I was aware of the enemy's bearing, I flew straight to Corona. An eagle moves much faster than an army. Queen Rapunzel asks that you honor your alliance and ride to her aid."

"Of course we will," Anna said, firing up at once. "We won't let them fall!"

"I figured as much, Your Highness," said Gareth. "I informed Queen Rapunzel that she can expect our help. I hope that it was not too presumptuous."

"Not at all, Gareth," Elsa interjected. "Corona is our oldest and most faithful ally. I have not forgotten that it was they, and they alone, that stood by us after my condition was revealed."

Gareth inclined his head. "I have more news, Your Majesty."

"Yes?"

"I found out who is responsible for the attack and the deaths of the royal family." Heins looked down at the floor.

"It's Hans, isn't it?"

"It is, Your Majesty. I'm sorry. I saw him with Hubert and Hedvik at the head of the combined armies. There's one more thing, as well..." He paused, then continued, "There's at least one more magician traveling with them. Probably more, but I only saw the one. He seems to have some sort of control over fire. He could conjure and manipulate it at will. He seemed pretty comfortable with it, too. I saw him kill some of Weselton's townsfolk who fought back. It… wasn't pleasant to watch."

Heins furrowed his brow, worried. In the few years since Elsa's powers came to light, magicians were coming forward. At first it was just one or two a year, but last year, a solid dozen new magicians revealed themselves. Almost none of them had even a quarter of Elsa's control or raw power. A few of the more gifted magicians, like Gareth, had come forward like Martha to offer their assistance. This was the first time they faced the prospect of having to fight other magicians. To think of a fire magician with Elsa's level of power was almost too terrible to consider. Ice, though dangerous, could be used to build, to cleanse, to cool. Fire like that could only destroy.

"You said at least one?" asked Heins.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It is extremely likely that others have joined the Empire even as we have joined you. However, I was too concerned with warning Corona and reporting back here to stick around longer. With your permission, I had planned on returning to keep watch over the Empire's army to find out more about their strength and magical power."

"We'll see," said Elsa. "This is a disturbing development. I'll have to decide later, once more is known. General? How fast can we march to Corona's aid? A week, maybe two?"

"Tomorrow, Your Majesty," General Raston said, his chest swelling with evident pride at exceeding his Queen's expectations.

"Tomorrow?" Elsa exclaimed, her eyebrows raised. "How?"

"Her Highness, Princess Anna, ordered it to be so." Elsa turned to her sister, mouth agape. Anna shrugged.

"I just tried to do what you'd do, Elsa." Elsa laughed.

"You keep on surprising me, Anna. Thank you." Turning back to General Raston, Elsa continued, "Please make the army ready to march at dawn." He saluted and left. Elsa turned to Kristoff. "Please go get the others. Heins, go with him. We will need them, I'm sure."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Kristoff. He seemed to be expecting this order. "C'mon, Heins." Kristoff led the way out of the study at a brisk pace, leaving Heins to scramble in his wake to catch up.

"Kristoff, wait up," he called. Kristoff slowed and the two drew alongside one another as they strode down the halls to the spiral staircase that led to the dungeons. Sunlight streaming through narrow gaps every dozen of stairs or so gave way to torchlight as they descended ever deeper.

"I can't believe they actually wanted to live down here," said Heins.

"Well, they did want privacy," said Kristoff. "Plus, you've seen their rooms- practically fit for kings." Heins agreed. Reaching the bottom of the staircase, they entered a long, dimly lit hallway with a low ceiling. Half a dozen cells lined each wall, all empty. Arendelle didn't have much in the way of enemies- _well, up until today, that is_ , Heins thought. For the most part, though, they were very lucky. The Kingdom had flourished under Elsa's rule, and there was very little trouble coming from within Arendelle. What little there was usually resolved itself peacefully without much intervention from the City Watch.

"Come on," Krstoff said, leading the way down the hall. He got to the end and turned right down another hallway. Four cells lined the left hand wall, and were much larger than the rest. It was here that their magician friends had made their home. The cells had been covered with silk curtains, and torchlight flickered behind three of them. There were long and sinuous shadows on the second curtain, moving and flexing as though caught in a storm.

"Knock knock," called Kristoff. "Martha? Shana? Jakob?"

"Prince Kristoff!" Martha burst through the curtain on the end. "Oh, Your Majesty! I thought you were still on your honeymoon? What are you doing back!" Her bright smile faltered at the serious expressions in front of her. "What's happened?"

"We need to talk to you three," said Heins, as Jakob, a tall and skinny man in his early twenties, with his dark hair in a ponytail, appeared in front of them, accompanied with a soft popping sound and a wisp of dark smoke. Although Heins had seen Jakob do this many times before, it still unnerved him every time he saw Jakob just… appear. It was more surprising this time, too. Normally Jakob would only jump to somewhere he could see, but he had just jumped from inside his room to the hallway.

"Been practicing?" Heins asked. Jakob just grinned. "Where's Shana?"

"She's in there…" Martha said, pointing at the other lit curtain. Talking to Shana was never something Heins enjoyed. She was too young, too full of anger and resentment.

"Shana, come out here please." There was no response. "Shana," he called again.

"Go away," came a voice from beyond the curtain.

"We need your help, Shana," said Kristoff, fighting to keep his voice low. "And you just might be eager to give it. Please, come out here."

A heavy sigh emanated from the cell. "Fine." The curtains parted and Shana stepped through. Heins caught a glimpse of green vines growing and twisting through the gap before Shana swung the curtains shut behind her. Before them stood a thin sixteen year old girl with green eyes and thick red hair tied up in a ponytail, redder even than Anna's. She lacked the freckles, though, and her skin was as pale as Elsa's. She wore men's clothing, brown breeches and a cream colored tunic, a stark contrast to Martha's modest blue skirt and blouse. A dagger hung at her hip, her constant companion since she had first come to the castle two years ago. A thin but crooked scar snaked it's way from her chin to her left temple.

"What do you need?" Her voice was flat, as it usually was, and her expression hard.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you three. Can I trust you?" asked Heins.

"Of course," said Martha and Jakob, but Shana only nodded once.

"Oh man, where to begin," Heins sighed. "Well… the Southern Isles' royal family was involved in an… an accident. They… they…" He broke off as his voice began to betray him, and he stared at the ground. Kristoff put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Heins, I'll do the talking," Kristoff said. "The royal family was almost all killed, except for three of Heins's brothers." Martha gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh Heins…" she murmured. Shana did not speak, but her expression softened, and Jakob frowned as if deep in thought.

"Further, the Southern Isles has toppled Weselton, killing the Duke and taking command of her armies, and now make their way to Corona. We ride to their defense, and we need your help, but only if you are willing to give it. Queen Elsa does not pretend to be able to command you to do so, she asks as a favor."

"What do you need us for?" asked Martha. "I mean, I can try to help, but…"

"Well, we've discovered something else. There's magicians with them. We may find your talents useful. But more than that. There's someone pulling the strings here. Shana knows them well." Shana's eyes flashed and her nostrils flared.

"Hans," she snarled. "He's back?" Kristoff nodded. "I'll come." Martha was wringing her hands.

"I- I don't know," Martha stammered. "I mean, I want to help, but what use can I be? I can't fight-"

"The Dreamwalker _may_ be involved," Heins said, finding his voice once more and cutting across her. "And as you rightfully pointed out the day we met, you may be the best hope we have against the Dreamwalker. You stealing his powers may be the only way we have to stop him. As such, we just want you nearby, you won't be in the fighting at all, and besides that, Gareth didn't see him with the army. He may be in the Southern Isles still. Probably is, as a matter of fact." The tension seemed to leak out of Martha, the lines in her face smoothing.

"Good," she said after a moment. "Then yes, of course I'll come. When do we leave?"

"Let's leave now!" Shana cried, grasping her knife so hard her knuckles were white. "Hans needs to pay for what he did!"

"Calm down, Shana," Kristoff commanded. Her eyes were burning like wildfire.

"Calm down?" she hissed. "I want him _dead_." Heins shifted uncomfortably.

"Shana, I know what he did to you," Heins said. "But you need to stay calm." She did not acknowledge him. "We leave tomorrow morning. Be ready." He turned around and strode back down the hallway without waiting for a reply. Kristoff hurried to catch up. They climbed the stairs in silence, but when they reached the landing, Kristoff spoke up.

"I don't feel right about this."

"About what?" Heins asked.

"It's Shana. She's too angry. Too full of hatred. It's dangerous. And with her powers… well, let's just say that it could be an unpleasant experience."

"Wouldn't you be?" Kristoff remained silent. "Look what she's lost. Hans took everything from her when he sacked Nibelheim- and for absolutely no reason. Her mother, father, and little sister… she has a right to be angry."

"I know, but…" Kristoff fell silent as a pair of servants passed them bearing trays of food. "It doesn't mean I like it," he picked up after they were out of earshot. "She doesn't have Arendelle's interests at heart, only her own. And that means she's unpredictable."

"Unpredictable, maybe. But that doesn't mean she's a threat to us."

"Not a threat?" Kristoff laughed. "Have you seen what she can-"

"I misspoke," said Heins tersely. "Obviously she's a threat, I meant she wouldn't turn on us. She has no reason to."

"She has no reason not to, either," Kristoff fired back as the pair of them started to climb the stairs to the second floor, towards Elsa's study. "Martha, she has nowhere else to go. She can't even _touch_ people without nearly killing them. Gareth was living in the woods when he first came to us. And Jakob was cast out of his village in Weselton when they discovered what he could do. None of them have anywhere else to go. But Shana is out for one thing- revenge. What if she decides that we're in the way of her vengeance?"

They stopped outside the study door as Heins opened his mouth to reply, but Kristoff cut across him. "Drop it for now, alright? Elsa doesn't need more on her plate." Heins nodded and the pushed open the door. Elsa was giving orders to several of her captains, and the Queensguard lined the walls. Gareth was waiting over near Alan and Cari. Heins walked around the desk and stood by Elsa's side. Kristoff pulled Anna aside and started a muttered conversation with her in the corner.

"...ready to march at dawn. Understood? Dismissed." The captains exited, and Elsa sank into her chair, exhausted, but looking somewhat pleased.

"How's it coming, Elsa?" Heins asked.

"Amazingly- fine. We will leave here tomorrow with 8,000 men on foot and 1,500 on horseback. I hope it will be enough." She looked around at them all. "Get some rest. We leave at dawn."

* * *

The next morning, Heins sat on his horse at the front of the army with the Queensguard, awaiting Elsa's arrival with General Raston. Martha, Jakob, and Shana rode near the vanguard, wearing simple black clothes with light leather armor, while Gareth circled overhead. The three had daggers hanging from their belts. Kristoff had offered to get them proper arms, but all three had declined. Jakob said the larger the object he had to jump with, the more exhausted he would get. Shana preferred to let her powers do her fighting, and Martha said she didn't want to do any fighting at all. It was only after Elsa snapped that she wouldn't take someone to a battle without a weapon that she finally acquiesced, although to Martha's point, it was unlikely it would get any use. She wasn't much good in a straight fight, and it didn't seem like they'd meet the Dreamwalker. Still, better safe than sorry. Gareth circled overhead. Heins wore his kingly armor for the first time, identical to Kristoff's except for the cape and crown- Heins wore a full cape of sky blue compared to the green half cape hanging from Kristoff's right shoulder, and a thin crown set with many small jewels rested on his brow, rather than the circlet Kristoff bore. His shield hung near his left leg, but his sword, given to him on his sixteenth birthday by his father, rested on his hip. The hand-and-a-half sword had a ruby set in the pommel, grasped by an eagle's talons, and an ornate crossguard with the shield and cross of the Southern Isles engraved on it. _This blade is a promise to your people,_ his father had said. _For a Prince dies for others, and he does not send others to die for him. Carry it with you always, and you shall always have the strength to defend that which you love most._ It gave him comfort to wear it, it felt like he was carrying a little piece of home with him, from a time when life was simpler.

Kristoff still wore Anna and Elsa's father's blade, which was set with a sapphire in the pommel. When Anna had discovered that both men had noble blades for themselves, she insisted that she and Elsa get one made as well. Anna chose an emerald for her pommel, and (at Anna's insistence, to be frank), Elsa got one with a diamond. Anna had even insisted they named the blades, which annoyed Heins at first- after all, they were weapons of war, not pets. But still, the names had grown on him. His own blade was named _Voda_ , which meant "water" in the Old Tongue. Anna had chosen _Silva_ , which meant "forest" and Kristoff got _Avling,_ "harvest". Elsa named hers last, taking a very long time to choose, toying with _Ice_ for a while (Heins personally felt that would fit a broadsword better), but eventually foregoing the Old Tongue entirely to name it _Frost._ Anna agreed it was a fitting name. It was the first real trial for both girls's blades, but seeing as Horst had been the smith, Heins was unconcerned. His work was the finest Heins had ever seen

The march would take six days. The Enemy would get to Corona in eight. Two days to get to Corona, meet up with Queen Rapunzel, and organize the defense. _Not gonna be easy, but I think we can set up enough to maybe make Hans think twice about taking Corona, at least._ Just then, the herald's trumpets sounded forth, announcing the Queen's approach.

Elsa was riding towards him astride a pure white horse. Shadowfax, he was called, although Heins had no idea why- the horse was as far from a shadow as it was possible to be. Milk was darker than this beast. General Raston, riding alongside in fantastic armor himself, looked like a child playing dress-up compared to Elsa. Whispers and impressed mutterings rippled through the army as they beheld their Queen, dressed for war for the very first time. For the most part, her armor matched Heins's, with the cape and crown, but her cape was as white as snow, and she herself had some modifications made to her armor. Short, elegant spikes of ice, forever frozen, so long as Elsa wore it, harder than steel, extended from her shoulders. Ice blades protruded out from her wrists, elbows, and knees, ensuring that she could never be completely unarmed. A kite shield, enhanced with a layer of ice around the edges, designed to catch enemy blades and trap them, was fastened to her steed. Elsa also bore a bow and arrows in a white leather tube across her back, more of a formality than anything, as she had no real use of arrows nor much skill with which to use them, but she wanted to carry one anyway. She had tried to make arrows out of ice, but she couldn't get them to flex right while maintaining strength. Even her powers had their limits. She trotted up alongside Heins.

"Ready to go?" she asked the group at large, who all nodded. "Alright. General, is the army ready to march?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. They await your command."

"Very well," Elsa answered. She took a deep breath, then gestured to General Raston. "Sound the horn, General." At her command, General Raston took a horn from his belt, brought it to his lips, and blew. A deep note echoed over the assembled thousands, and then, the sharp taps of drums rang out. Footfalls echoed around the hills and over the fjord as the many thousands began their march. Arendelle was going to war.


	10. Kristoff - The Empire Approaches

Kristoff's eyes had to be lying to him. There was no other explanation. He, Liam, Baldur, and Alan were standing in a small grove on a hilltop a mile from the edge of the Great Plains. The Plains stretched to the horizon before them, nothing but waving grassland as far as they could see, with sparse trees growing with miles to themselves. Behind them was the Black Forest, which would prove useful to them when the rest of the army arrived, for the forest was ominous but accommodating. The forest got it's name from the thick canopy, which not only covered the forest in darkness even under the brightest sun, but also kept the undergrowth sparse, as very little could grow with so little light. This meant that there was plenty of room for them to set up their tents. The Elbe River ran through most of the forest as it meandered its way south, providing cool and clean mountain water for the men and their mounts. In front of them was the vast army of the Empire, stretching almost to the horizon. Kristoff had never seen anything like it. Trying to count them was like trying to count sand on a beach.

"How is that even possible?" asked Baldur.

"Conscription?" said Liam. "The Southern Isles and Weselton together couldn't muster half this force with their standing armies."

"So they won't want to be here?"

"It will make them easier to kill," said Kristoff. Baldur fidgeted, but did not speak.

"What's the plan, then, Kristoff?" asked Alan. Kristoff jerked his thumb at the Black Forest.

"In there will do fine for the camp, quite a ways back from the treeline- at least two miles. We'll set up guards around the perimeter. Hans may be insane, but he's not stupid, he'll have scouts in here. As for the battle… I'm going to propose that Corona attack the Empire head on at dawn. It's a stupid move, an amateur mistake, but just believable enough to assuage any fears of trickery- hopefully- and the Empire will try to press their advantage.

That's where we come in. The army will position themselves here-" he waved his arm in the general direction of the treeline "-and the cavalry will be on the eastern end. Hans will surely have his magicians back from the front line. It's too risky to have them be in too much danger. We'll do what we can with steel, but if the magicians show themselves, we'll just have to hope Elsa is up to the task. When it's time, the infantry will move on the enemy's southern flank, while the cavalry circles around from the east, coming up behind them. If possible, the archers will remain in cover in the forest, but I doubt Hans is stupid enough to be that close to the trees.

With any luck, we can surround them from three sides, south, east, and west, and push them away from the forest, which would give them too much of a defensive advantage. If we can pull that off, we can contain them and keep us from being surrounded by their larger force, which should also serve to cut their numbers advantage. After that, we'll have to play it by ear. Everyone agree?"

Everyone mumbled their agreement. "Good," said Kristoff. "Let's head back."


	11. Elsa - Ice and Fire

Two days later, the sun was setting on the Black Forest. Arendelle's army was setting up their camp for the last time before they were to ride to battle. Phillip, one of Queen Rapunzel's Royal Guard, was briefing Elsa and Heins on the situation on the edge of the treeline. About a mile in front of them, in the waving fields, stood two armies. Between them was a barren span of about a mile. Weak berms and rudimentary defenses had been erected on both sides, but there was not time for anything further.

"...Then, this morning, a lone horseman rode to our camp and asked for an audience with the Queen."

"Was it granted?" asked Elsa.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Queen Rapunzel observes all customs of war."

"What were his demands?"

"Unconditional surrender." Elsa couldn't help a smirk from twisting her lips.

"Bet that went over well," Heins said, a sarcastic edge to his voice.

"As you say, Your Majesty. He was refused and sent back to his own camp."

"What's the Queen's plan?" asked Elsa.

"Attack at dawn, Your Majesty. These fields are well known for being foggy in the mornings, but the enemy won't know that. It will allow us to get very close before they're even aware of us. It will make your approach easier, as well, I suspect."

"There's something about that," said Heins, brow furrowed as he squinted in the dying light. "None of their defenses face anywhere but front." He shook his head. "I mean, I know my brothers, they're bastards, but they're not that stupid. They must suspect we're coming."

Phillip said nothing, but pointed at the Corona army. "What?" said Heins. "I don't see… ohhh….."

"What? What is it?" asked Elsa. Heins moved her in front of him and turned her, pointing over her shoulders at a standard, flying high above the front lines of Corona's forces. "I don't see… Oh."

"My idea, Your Majesty," Philip said with obvious pride. "They think you're already here. We've got about two thousand soldiers in there, flying Arendelle colors, wearing Arendelle sigils. The Empire must think that's all you had time to muster."

"Hope they like surprises, then." Heins said under his breath. Elsa, however, had other concerns.

"So attack at dawn?" she pressed. "Is that it?"

"No, Your Majesty," replied Phillip. "My Queen requests that Arendelle wait until you hear our horns sound before you attack. We will feign retreat, and the Enemy will be less focused on their flanks as they advance. Once Arendelle is in position, sound your own horns and Corona will re-engage."

Elsa was troubled. "It's a workable plan, to be sure, but… _look_ ," she said, waving an arm out towards the plains that were just visible through the trees. "I didn't know the land we were headed to. The land is flat as far as the eye can see, no defensive positions, no high ground, nothing to fight for! Why didn't Rapunzel just fortify the cities, wait for the enemy to come to her while in a fortified position? This makes no sense!"

"I-I don't know, Your Majesty," Phillip said, looking around and shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "But if you have no more questions, I must be getting back…"

"Fine. Tell Queen Rapunzel we will assist, but we have concerns about her choices. We will speak after the battle."

"Very well. Excuse me." Casting his gaze downward, he swept around them and mounted his horse, galloping off through the trees.

"What was she thinking?" Elsa vented, stomping back towards the camp, Heins trailing in her wake. "Corona is more than capable of withstanding an extended siege, but instead she chooses to ride out and meet a superior force head on in an open field?"

"Then why did you agree to her plan?" asked Heins hesitantly, wary of Elsa's anger and frustration.

"Because I had no choice," she replied. "Corona was the only country to stick by me after my coronation, I can't abandon them, and we're already here. We cannot back out now without forgoing Corona's alliance in future battles. This campaign will not end in one day. But this will not be forgotten. She is endangering my people unnecessarily. How many will die tomorrow? How many sons, how many fathers? And how many of them would have lived if they had been fortifying a city, rather than this… suicide mission?" She stopped and took a deep breath. Heins was looking at her in concern. "I'm sorry. These are not your troubles-"

Heins scoffed. "Really? They're not? Because I could have sworn these are my people too, now. And I'm just as angry as you- this is stupidity, plain and simple. Rapunzel must have overridden her advisors, because no general on earth would take a force half as large as the enemy out to meet them on a neutral battlefield."

"So what do we do?" asked Elsa.

"All we can do- we will fight tomorrow, but not like that. I'd prefer to have more numbers, but it doesn't matter. Kristoff and I were talking earlier, most of the troops out there were pressed into service. They don't want to be here, and they will fight worse for it. Every single soldier we have here will follow you to the end, and _that_ is our advantage."

"Me?" Elsa said. "They follow me because I'm the Queen, no more."

Heins chuckled. "I swear, you and Anna are the same. Blind as bats, you are. These people love _you_ above all. You think any other queen on earth would have invited _the entire kingdom_ to her wedding? Not a chance."

"Well, yeah, but that was Anna-"

" _It doesn't matter_ ," Heins stressed. "The men we have brought will fight harder than the Empire will. And sometimes, that's all that it takes. Besides," he said, nudging her with his elbow. "We have you. Now let's go get some sleep."

* * *

Elsa was astride Shadowfax in the brush on the edge of the Black Forest. The sun had not yet risen above the fields, and the fog lay thick upon the gently waving grasses. If she strained her eyes, she could just make out rank after rank of Corona's army moving silently through the mist, armor and weapons muffled with rags. They made slow progress, but it was steady, and the line was wide and deep. They were nearly three-quarters across no man's land when war drums began a slow beat, and horns sounded all across the Empire's camp. A great cry went up and Corona broke into a sprint, crossing the rest of the barren field in under a minute before smashing into and through the weak and unprepared defenses of the Empire. The sleepy defenders had barely emerged from their tents before Corona's forces fell upon them, dealing death to all they came across. Corona's charge faltered once the first few ranks had penetrated what Elsa estimated as a quarter mile into the camp, but the Empire was so vast it seemed but a thorn in the side of the enormous force before them.

The mist made shadows of the figures now locked in desperate combat, making the battle seem somehow distant, as though it were only a dream. Within a half hour, the rest of the Empire rallied to beat back the charge, and Corona's forces lost ground, slowly but surely. The writhing shapes of bloodshed had nearly reached the Empire's front once again when the horns of Corona sounded the retreat.

"Now," Elsa said. The message spread quickly along the line of Arendelle's army, now spread out in thin ranks among a mile of treeline, extending even beyond the Empire's rear guard. All along the line, they rose to their feet and moved fast as they could without making too much noise towards the Empire's unprotected flank, taking short, quick steps, unnoticed by the army moving to take advantage of Corona's retreat. It was a long way, and the men knew they had to pace themselves, or they'd be too winded to fight when they arrived. After they had gone a few hundred feet, Elsa set off at a trot, followed closely by her Queensguard and General Raston

When Arendelle was halfway to the army, Elsa signaled to General Raston, who nodded and fell back. Seconds later, the horns of Arendelle rang forth. A half mile back along the treeline, Arendelle's cavalry burst forth and circled around towards the east, aiming to encircle the Empire and force them inward. At the same time, the rest of the army let loose savage cries and charged, arriving at the flank within thirty seconds and cutting down dozens of the disoriented Empire. By this point in the morning, however, the men of the Empire were fully awake and alert, and the front lines quickly stabilized. Stable, but the advantage remained Arendelle's. Most of the Empire's conscripts had been keeping well back from the Coronan line, and now found themselves facing a new- and very well rested- foe. Some men surrendered outright, throwing down their weapons and laying facedown on the ground.

"No harm will come to those who surrender!" Elsa screamed, as loud as she could manage. At this slight reassurance, even more men dropped to their knees, throwing their weapons away and putting their empty hands out, some even pleading that they didn't want to be there. Several Arendellians leapt forward, securing their weapons and shoving them towards the rest of Arendelle's army, where they were bound by the soldiers there and led away from the battle. "Take them to the treeline!" Elsa shouted. Her soldiers hurried to obey. At General Raston's insistence, Elsa hung back from the very front lines, using her bow when she could (her lack of accuracy meant nothing when all that was needed was to lob arrows into the tightly packed Empire far away from her own soldiers), and using her powers sparingly to conserve strength- it was going to be a very long day.

Elsa remained safe as the day dragged into afternoon. She had long since run out of arrows, but she and Heins were so far unmarked, due to the efforts and skill of her Queensguard, as well as some timely intervention from Jakob as he jumped throughout the battlefield, ambushing soldiers here and there, sowing chaos and paranoia throughout the Empire. Every single one of the Queensguard were nursing various minor wounds. Anna had been knocked down by a furious blow from a heavy two-handed mace, denting her chestplate and making it harder for her to breathe, though it saved her from a fatal wound. Luckily, Cari was able to slit the man's throat before he could deliver a killing blow. Kristoff had received a nasty cut on the cheek from an arrow. Elsa had been the intended target, but she had blocked it on her shield. Liam had a dented helmet, Leila's left arm was hanging limp and useless in a makeshift sling, Alarik had been stabbed in the calf- the list went on. Through all of it, Elsa and Heins had remained untouched, her Queensguard throwing themselves selflessly at any and all danger that approached, without a single thought to their own safety, and even with all their skill, they were still injured. It made her feel cowardly and weak, but deep down she knew she shouldn't. As much as it didn't seem fair, she was the Queen, and her loss would be harder for the men to bear than anyone in her Queensguard. For better or worse, she had gotten them into this mess, and it was her duty to see them out of it.

The battle began to blur together as the day progressed, the only mark of the passing time being the sun, making its slow progress through the sky. Gareth was changing back and forth from man to eagle as he relayed information about the battle, messages from Corona, requests for reinforcements, and other communication he was best suited to transmit. As the sun crossed about halfway to the horizon, Elsa still had not been hurt, although Heins was nursing a few minor scratches, but her Queensguard was flagging- or so she had thought. A group of a dozen soldiers, the largest group yet, managed to win their way through the front line. Before Elsa could even draw Frost, her Queensguard slaughtered them all. As the last one fell, two swords buried in his chest, the scent of burning flesh filled Elsa's nostrils. A glance to her right told her that Heins smelled it too.

"What is that…?" Looking to the left, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. To her right, a few hundred yards away, smoke was rising, and then fire burst into the sky. Screams filled the air. "The magician!" Elsa shouted. "We have to stop him, he'll tear us apart!"

"Get me over there, now!" she ordered her Queensguard, drawing Frost.

"But what about Jakob, or Shana?" cried Anna. "They could help!"

"No time! I'll deal with him!" Elsa shouted back. "Help me get over there!" The Queensguard leapt forward, new life filling their limbs.

"You men, with us!" ordered Kristoff to a group of a half dozen men, pointing towards the smoke. "We're going to stop that magician!"

"Yes, sir!" they cried, running forward and shoving their way through the densely crowded soldiers, clearing a path towards the flames. Elsa followed as close as she could, and her escorts did their best, but it was slow going. By the time they arrived at the magician, Arendelle's front line was in shambles. Charred and mutilated bodies lay around their feet in equal amount. The magician was enormous, Elsa guessed he had to be at least half a foot taller than her and about three times as wide. He wore heavy armor, all black save for a thin trim of red on his helmet and chestplate, and even his own army gave him a wide berth. His eyes shone through narrow slits in his helmet, and he wielded a shield and spiked mace that he used to devastating effect, killing three men in three ferocious swipes of his mace that caved in their skulls as easily if they had been month old grapefruit. As his mace descended towards a fourth, Elsa reached out her hand. In a flash, a pillar of ice rose between the magician and his would-be victim, stopping the mace mid swing, sending Arendelle's line scrambling back, leaving the magician a wide berth. He looked around for the source of the interruption, and his eyes alighted on Elsa.

"Ah, the cowardly sorceress decides to show her face at last?" he taunted. "I was wondering how many more of your men I'd have to kill to draw you out."

"Be silent," Elsa commanded, raising her shield and advancing. "You will hurt no more of my people today. Throw down your weapons and surrender, now." She halted, her Queensguard at her back, ten feet from the magician.

Without answering, he swung his mace at her, and a ball of fire flew from the end. Elsa swung Frost at the writhing flame as though it were a racquet, channeling her power through it, and the flames exploded off the edge and dissipated into harmless wisps of smoke.

Elsa felt her Queensguard react beside her, and at once, she was sure of two things. One, that they would surely fight by her side. Two, that there is no way she could let that happen. She would not allow them to be slaughtered for her in a fight they had no business being in. Spinning Frost around in her palm, she dropped to one knee and drove the blade into the ground. In an instant, fifteen foot high and perfectly smooth walls of ice erupted around her and the magician, then moved fast across the ground outward, shoving both friend and foe back. Seconds later, the enemy magician and herself were trapped in a ring of ice fifty feet across, alone, that no weapons on earth could break, but that didn't stop Heins from trying. She tried to shut out the pained cries of her family, but it was no use, and the sharp THWACK of Voda hitting the ice rang out again and again.

"Elsa! Let us help you! Let us in!" Heins cried, voice filled with anguish.

"Elsa! ELSA!" screamed Anna. Elsa ignored them as best she could and focused on her foe, rising to her feet and settling into a defensive position, knees bent, shield raised, and Frost at the ready. She was more grateful than ever for her friend's protection earlier, being well rested while her foe had been fighting for a long time. It might just save her life.

"What do you think you're doing?" the man demanded. Elsa didn't answer. He raised his mace and pointed it at the ice wall, and a torrent of fire spat out from the end. Elsa waited, curiosity getting the better of her as to whether her ice would melt under the heat, or remain solid. To her satisfaction, after thirty seconds of continuous fire, the ice walls held, although there was a noticeable divot in the wall he had been working on. She would not be able to hold him indefinitely, but she could for a while. She replaced the section he had melted with a wave of her hand, then shot several icicles at her foe. He cut off his assault on the walls to bat them away with his mace, even as Elsa had knocked away his fire.

"There is no escape save for my death," said Elsa, much calmer than she thought she would be. He redirected his mace at her, but Elsa was ready. She met his attack with a continuous blast of snow through Frost, taking a step back and digging in her heels, stopping his pillar of flame dead in the middle of their arena, an explosion of smoke and steam where the streams met. For almost a full minute, both magicians struggled for control. Try as she might, she couldn't gain any ground- but nor could he. Before Elsa got too weary from the struggle, she stomped her foot, and jagged ice raced across the ground toward him. The magician leapt to the side, snapping off his attack, and Elsa's answering blast smashed into the ice wall behind him. He dropped to one knee and slammed his mace on the ground. The earth exploded, rippling outwards in waves and sending Elsa's ice flying back in shattered pieces at her. She cowered behind her shield as the ice rattled against it. One heavy piece slipped around it, hitting her hard in the shoulder. It did not pierce her armor, but the impact hurt, and she knew it would slow her down later.

She lowered her shield to see the magician spinning his mace over his head very fast, flames shooting out of the end, rising upward in a spiral. With a savage shout, he swung his mace downwards, sending a tornado of raging flames across the arena. Elsa scrambled backward, shielding herself from the intense heat, drying out her eyes at once and making her throat stick. She raised Frost and shot snow at the tornado, but the snow melted before it even got close. Snapping off the stream of snow, she shot icicles at the magician, but he knocked most of them out of the air with bursts of fire and destroyed the others with flicks of his mace. He was incredibly fast, swinging the heavy weapon as though it were no more than a thin branch. Elsa's back hit the ice wall as the tornado grew even larger. Her breath seemed to scorch her lungs, and her eyes were watering from the heat. She was running out of time. In desperation, she drew back her arm and hurled Frost at the magician. The move caught him off guard, and he barely dodged in time. Frost hit the ice with a CLANG and dropped to the ground, but with her enemy's concentration broken, the tornado fizzled and died out. Elsa had time for a moment of relief before the magician chuckled, a low, malicious laugh.

"Now you have no weapon." Without another sound, he bounded forward, brandishing his mace. Elsa threw up her hands and started to create an ice wall in front of her, but the magician was ready for that. His mace wreathed itself in flames and he smashed through the thin wall without even slowing down. His mace hit hard against her shield, harder than any mortal man could have done, knocking her off her feet. She soared through the air, crashed into the wall, and collapsed. She lay on the ground, her vision swimming as she struggled to breathe. Her shield had been torn from her arm as she flew, and it lay near the center of the arena. The magician was walking towards her. Before Elsa had found the strength to move, he was there, bending down and picking her up by her throat with his inhuman strength. He spun around and slammed her against the ice wall. Elsa's feet kicked the empty air as she clawed at his hand, breaking most of her fingernails against the armored surface of his glove. Her enemy's eyes were filled with burning hatred and satisfaction. Elsa's vision grew dimmer as her legs kicked weaker and weaker. She had failed. She had no weapon, no way to fight back. Helpless again, and this time it would cost her her life.

In a flash of clarity, she remembered- _my armor!_ With the last of her strength, she drew back her arm and slashed at his throat with the blade at her elbow, and as he leaned back to avoid it, he pushed his lower body forward. At the same time, she drew her knee up and plunged the knee blade as hard as she could into his stomach. The ice, harder than any blade could ever be, punched straight through his armor and drove into his stomach. He dropped Elsa at once. She fell and landed facedown, gasping for breath. Her throat felt as though someone had force fed her hot coals. The magician was bent double, clutching his stomach with both arms, blood seeping from between them.

Behind him, Elsa could see Frost lying where it had fallen. She struggled to her feet, taking short and very shaky steps around the perimeter of the arena, leaning up against it for support. She had to hurry. The magician was so large that even if the blade had gone as deep as it could (and judging by the blood staining it, it had), it wouldn't stop him for long. She was halfway to her blade when the magician straightened up, bending down to pick up his mace once more. Elsa gave a whimper of fear and tried to move faster. Frost was twenty feet away. Fifteen feet. Ten feet…

"Ahh!" Elsa cried, the jet of fire barely missing her and splashing across the wall in front of her, but it was weak and only lasted a moment. The magician seemed well enough, but his face was pale, and it looked like he was struggling with his magic. Elsa knew only too well that if she tried to use magic herself, she'd collapse in moments. She was just too weak. She continued limping towards her weapon. Frost was just feet away now, then inches. As her fingers closed around her sword, new determination filled her as though it came from the blade itself. She was armed again. She would not die here. She turned to face the magician, ignoring the pain in her screaming limbs. The enemy was standing in the middle of the arena, Elsa's shield just behind him. _I still need my shield,_ thought Elsa, her newfound determination fading a little, but not dissipating.

"So," said the magician in a hoarse voice that was quite unlike the one he used earlier. "It comes down to steel in the end anyway."

"It appears so," Elsa tried to say, but her throat wouldn't allow her to. She settled for nodding instead. The man raised his mace, and he had picked up his shield as well. Elsa hadn't noticed he had ever lost it, but he must have at some point, he didn't have it when he was choking her. Either way, it was bad news. She was at an even bigger disadvantage now. _I can't let him get near me,_ she thought. _I have to get my shield if I'm going to survive this_. Just then, she noticed something strange. He was no longer bleeding. In fact, he didn't seem wounded at all, just exhausted. Elsa's blood chilled, but she didn't have long to think about it.

Her foe crossed the distance between them in a few seconds, swinging his mace at Elsa's head. Elsa ducked just in time, then rolled forward to dodge his overhead swing, the mace thudding into the ground where she had been just milliseconds earlier. She rose to her feet behind the magician, who was slow to turn around, then sprinted as fast as her own exhausted legs would carry her to her shield. She snatched it up and turned around to see the magician had followed her much closer than she had thought. She barely managed to secure her shield in time, and it caught a crushing blow, numbing her whole arm. She jabbed Frost at him, but it was a clumsy move. He parried easily and smashed her shield once more, then again, and again, and again, and again. As he drew back his arm for another blow, she raised her shield in anticipation, but he seemed to have been expecting this. Rather than hit her shield again, he swung at her exposed legs. Elsa realized just in time what he was trying to do and leapt backwards, berating herself for being so stupid, but she was too slow. One of the spikes on the end of his mace tore straight through her right leg's armor and the muscle underneath. A bright white light seemed to explode in her vision as a hoarse scream tore from Elsa's lips, hurting her swollen throat almost as much as her leg. Her blood spattered the ground in front of her and dripped off the magician's mace. Her right leg gave way, and she toppled backwards, twisting around to break her fall and landing facedown, her shield slipping off her arm. She rolled over as fast as she could and jabbed Frost blindly upward with both hands.

As she did so, something very strange happened. She felt a great tug on the blade, as though someone were trying to pull it out of her hands. Elsa yelped in surprise, then felt warm spray of blood on her hands and face, then a thicker and much greater amount running down her hands and arms, staining her pale skin in a crimson bath. A moment later, Frost was pulled from her surprised fingers. She blinked frantically, trying to clear the blood from her eyes, then let out a soft moan of relief.

Frost was protruding from the magician's torso, the diamond in the pommel stained deep red and winking in the midday sun, seeming to gleam with cheerful malice. The point of the blade had somehow managed to slip into the small hole that Elsa's knee blade had created earlier, cutting through flesh as easily as a hot knife through butter. The magician swayed on unsteady legs, then fell straight back, landing with a heavy crash, and then he lay still, the sword still stuck in him like a macabre sheath. Elsa slowly and painfully climbed to her feet, staring in suspicion at the motionless man. He had seemed wounded once before, then he wasn't. Elsa crept close, expecting him to lunge at her any second. But nothing happened. She gingerly tested her right leg, and despite her nerves screaming in protest, determined it would have to do. Gritting her teeth to keep from crying out as she put all her weight on her injured leg, Elsa swung a kick at the man. No reaction. She did it again, harder. Still nothing. Still unconvinced, she knelt down, with some difficulty, and pulled off one of his enormous gauntlets, feeling his wrist for a pulse. She found none. He was dead.

Tears of relief sprang to Elsa's eyes, but she did not allow them to fall. She rose to her feet, and, placing her boot on her foe's corpse, pulled out Frost with a sickening _squelch_. What had happened? She knew that she should have died. What had pulled on Frost? What had guided her blade to exactly where it needed to go? What had kept her alive? She could only guess at "magic" (as helpfully specific as that conclusion was), but even if there was a magician with the power to move objects without touching them (which she had never heard of), how did they do it without seeing into the arena? Could they see through solid objects (which she had also never heard of)? Or maybe this hypothetical person could become invisible, and was in the arena the whole time? Or maybe they could see through things?

For the first time in her life, Elsa felt like she could truly appreciate how scared her people had been after her coronation. Unable to understand what had happened, or how, or how much more could have happened. _Magic_. Her curse, and then her gift- and now, was it becoming curse once more? Elsa hated the idea of an unknown someone interfering in her affairs without her consent- although she grudgingly accepted that if not for the interference, she wouldn't exactly be around to hate the idea. Accepting that she may never find out what had happened, at least for the moment, she began to once again take stock of her surroundings.

She heard the sounds of battle around the arena, the fight having resumed in full force while the two magicians did their private battle. The arena was featureless, so Elsa took a quick glance at the sun to establish her bearings and proceeded to the edge of the arena, in what she very much hoped was still friendly territory. She began to melt the walls from the top down, and she heard the battle sounds diminish as they noticed. She supposed both sides must be waiting to see who's won. When the walls were only eight feet tall, she melted the rest at once with a wave of her hand. The two sides had separated, both poised to re-engage the instant the winner appeared. Elsa stood in the front of Arendelle's line, and people on both sides were gaping. She hadn't thought about how she must look, her white armor and skin drenched in blood, with a bruised and swollen throat, bloodshot eyes, and a vicious gash on her leg, but alive, with what she very much hoped was a determined expression on her face. Her soldiers seemed equal parts relieved she had survived and enraged at her injuries. The Empire, on the other hand, was quailing, and Arendelle, smelling blood in the water, raised a great shout of fury and ran forward, collapsing on the demoralized Empire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters today, because the previous one is so damn short. Also, shit got real. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I spent more time on this chapter than I did the previous ten, so hopefully it works and isn't too lame/pretentious/cheesy/whatever. Thank you again for reading, and there's plenty more still to come.


	12. Heins - Fallen Friends

"Elsa!" Heins cried as he swung Voda again and again. "Don't do this! Let us in!" Beside him, Silva glanced off the ice without so much as chipping it.

"Elsa!" screamed Anna.

"Eyes up!" snapped Kristoff, jumping forward and catching an arrow on his shield. "Get back!" Heins grabbed Anna's arm and dragged her back to the Arendelle lines. The two armies, stunned motionless by the sudden creation of the ice arena, had resumed the bloodshed. Liam ducked a sword thrust and beheaded his attacker, Silas managed to stab an arrow into a soldier's neck before nocking it and letting it fly, and Kristoff blocked a sword bound for Heins before thrusting his blade through the soldier's middle. Doing his best to avoid thinking of the danger his wife was in, Heins threw himself back into the battle, taking out his frustration and helplessness on anyone unfortunate enough to face him, dealing death with every furious stroke. The other Queensguard were fighting the same, as though they could protect Elsa by fighting more ferociously than they ever had before.

Heins never even saw the arrow. One second he was fighting, terrified at the thought of what could be happening to Elsa, the next, a wild scream of "My Lord!" and a jarring hit later, he's lying flat on his back, staring up at Alarik, eyes widened. The feathers of the arrow protruded from Alarik's chest, his battered but still gleaming armor running with rivers of deep crimson, which splattered onto the ground into a pool at his feet. His sword fell from limp fingers.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. The battle seemed so far away now. Heins's heart was thundering in his chest, taunting him with every beat that he was alive, and his friend's life was spilling out of his body and collecting in puddles on the ground. Heins couldn't process what he was seeing. It could not be happening. Surely, Alarik was not mortally wounded. It must be some sort of trick.

"Alarik!" Anna screamed. "No!" She leapt forward, all danger forgotten, but Baldur caught her around the waist mid-jump and threw her backwards, then parried a blow that would have killed Anna had she not been intercepted. She rolled up to her knee snarling, but didn't try to run forward again, knowing Baldur had only meant to keep her out of harm's way. As if by magic, Kristoff appeared, catching Alarik as he started to fall, signaling to Liam and Silas to help him shove a path back through the lines. Baldur and Leila rushed to the front, fighting together in a twisting dance of death with a ferocity Heins had never seen before, expressions of grief and fury etched on their bloodstained faces. Anna's bow sang, and an enemy archer collapsed with an arrow through his eye socket, then Anna turned and bounded after Kristoff. Heins forced himself to get up and sprinted after them, trusting Leila and Baldur to protect his back. Alarik lay on his back a few dozen yards from the fighting, coughing blood out of his mouth, splattering Kristoff's face, even as blood seeped through Kristoff's fingers as he tried to put pressure on the wound. Anna was grasping his hand, which was clenching and unclenching and clenching, muttering words of encouragement.

"Come on, stay with me," pleaded Kristoff. But it was already too late. Heins knew it from the second he saw the wound, there would be no saving him. His hand ceased clenching, and it fell out of Anna's grip. His eyes unfocused and grew dim. Kristoff sat back and wiped his hair back, unconcerned, or simply unaware, of the blood now streaking across his forehead and dripping from his hair. "He's gone."

A massive roar arose from the front of the line, and Kristoff whipped his head around. For one wild moment, Heins thought they must be roaring in outrage at Alarik's death, but seconds later, Elsa came staggering back towards them, flanked by the members of the Queensguard who had stayed on the front lines. She looked like she had been on the wrong end of a fight with a pack of wolves, her armor dented and broken, and her snow blonde hair stained through with crimson.

"Elsa!" Heins cried, springing towards her. "Are you hurt?"

"Not really," she said in a hoarse voice. Heins was surprised she could form words at all, her throat was so swollen.

"Elsa, look at yourself!" cried Anna. Elsa opened her mouth to reply, but then her eyes alighted on Alarik. She gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth. Her blue eyes began swimming with tears.

"What happened?" she whispered. Heins could feel everyone avert their eyes, avoiding looking at him.

"It's… It's my fault, Elsa," Heins began. "He was-" WHAM!

Heins was cut off by a blow to the back of the head. Staggered, he whipped around, raising Voda, but all he saw was Kristoff, looking more furious than Heins had ever seen him. Anna's jaw dropped.

" _Shut up, Heins_." Heins was more shocked at this than by the fact Kristoff just struck his King- he'd never once heard Kristoff speak with so much malice, much less to him. It was clear by the look on the other's faces that they were just as surprised. "Don't you DARE try to say this was your fault." He was walking towards Heins, seething with poorly suppressed anger, and Heins cowered. "You think he would want you to blame yourself? You think he was that selfish? Don't you DARE blame yourself for this. Alarik died saving his liege, and his friend. He could not have wished for a more fitting death. But he would _never_ be able to rest if you go around blaming yourself. And I will NOT have that. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"

"But if I wouldn't have been distracted-"

Anna cut in. "Heins, stop, please," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "It's not your fault."

"Enough," ordered Elsa. Her voice was, if anything, only getting worse, but her eyes were focused and determination was plain on her face. "There will be time to grieve later. We still have a battle to fight." But Kristoff was still riding his anger.

"No, Elsa," he commanded. "You are to fall back, immediately. Not a discussion. You are in no shape for a fight right now, look at yourself." Elsa glanced down at herself and winced. She was covered in blood, her throat was swelling by the minute, her eyes were bleary and bloodshot, her right ring finger was twisted at an odd angle, and there was a jagged cut on her thigh that looked agonizing. It was hard to tell how much of the blood was hers.

"I'll be fine...?" she said in an even smaller voice.

"Was that a question?" Kristoff snorted, and pointed towards the back of the lines, where the medical tent's flag was fluttering, erected in only a few minutes after the battle lines had stabilized. Elsa, recognizing defeat, hung her head and trudged towards the flag, a rather pronounced limp in her gait. Anna jogged to catch up to her and snuck under her arm, helping her limp away, paying no mind to the blood Elsa was inadvertently smearing all over her.

"We need to bring him back with us," said Baldur. "He deserves a proper burial."

"That he does, my friend," said Liam. "Here-" Liam shrugged his enormous shield off his arm and laid it on the ground beside Alarik. "We can bear him back on this."

"I'll help-" Heins began, but Liam shook his head sadly.

"No, Your Majesty. You're needed elsewhere. We'll meet you at the medical tent when we've finished." Heins started to protest, but fell silent at a look from Kristoff. Heins sighed and nodded.

"Come on," said Kristoff, leading Heins away with a gentle hand. "We need to go check on Elsa. And Baldur, you and Leila take command of the battle for now. Stay back from the fighting, we just need you to direct." They saluted and ran back towards the front line.

"You gonna hit me again?" Heins asked with a wry smile as they began to make their way towards the tent.

Kristoff shook his head. "I'm sorry, Heins. I should have-"

"It's okay, my friend. You were right. I would do him no honor if I let my despair get the better of me. I will mourn my friend later. Not now. Wait… what's that?" He cocked his head, listening. Angry voices drifted towards them from across the heads of the dozens of men still crowding past them. Heins was just able to make out Anna's voice. "You hear that?"

Kristoff frowned. "Yeah, but what's she yelling about?" They quickened their pace, arriving at the enormous tent in seconds. Wounded lay around them in droves. Men lucky enough to still have mobility were doing their best to help their comrades, getting them water and trying to keep them cool. Heins thought he had never seen a more horrific sight. There were no healers to be seen. "Where are all the healers?" asked Kristoff. "I mean, not even one out here?"

"And I'm telling you, touch me again and I'll freeze them completely off!" came Elsa's raspy voice from inside the tent.

"Elsa! She-she didn't mean that-"

"Oh yes I did, Anna! Get away from me, all of you!"

"What in the world?" said Heins, bewildered. He and Kristoff ducked through the flap. There were even more wounded in here. In the center of the tent stood a circle of about a dozen healers. Heins caught a glimpse of a very angry Elsa sitting down in the middle of them, and standing next to her was Anna, flapping her hands and desperate to regain some semblance of control to the situation. Heins rushed over.

"Hey hey hey! What's going on here?"

"Heins!" cried Anna, who looked immensely relieved to see him. "Calm her down!"

"I'll calm down, Anna, when these idiots attend to the people who need them most! I have a broken finger and a scratch on my leg, I'm fine!"

"Your M-M-Majesty," stammered the head healer. "It is much more than a scratch… we're just trying to do our jobs, Your Majesty…"

"Oh? And how many of you does it take to do your jobs?"

"Y-you are our top priority, Your Majesty…" Elsa sat forward, scowling around at the nervous healers.

"All but one of you are to clear out in the next five seconds, or I swear, I will exile every single one of you before the sun sets." There was a scramble of motion as every single healer darted away before realizing that no one actually stayed to tend to Elsa. After some pushing and shoving, one healer, a timid-looking young girl with curly blonde hair and bright green eyes, approached the Queen, almost shaking with nerves and performing an awkward curtsey. The rest of the healers were spreading out among the tent with hurried strides, and a few headed outside. Elsa's face softened and she beckoned the healer closer. She approached, eyes lowered. Heins thought he had seen snow darker than her face at that moment. "My bark is really worse than my bite, you know," Elsa said, exhaustion creeping back into her voice. "I wouldn't have actually exiled anyone. What's your name?"

"Er… Well, it's Elsa, Your Majesty." Elsa's eyes glinted and she let out a soft laugh, and Anna tried (and failed) to suppress a grin. "I was named after you," the healer said, a defensive tone creeping into her voice.

"This could get confusing," Elsa said, smiling.

"Well, my friends call me Elsie," suggested the healer.

"We aren't your friends, though," said Anna. The healer dropped her eyes, but Anna marched up to her and stuck out her hand. "Hi, I'm Anna. Wanna be friends?" Some color returned to Elsie's face, and she shook Anna's hand with hers, which was trembling. "Well, there we are then. It's nice to meet you, Elsie." A soft cough came from behind her.

"You know, just because I'll live doesn't mean this doesn't hurt!" Elsie gasped, but Elsa's expression was light.

"Your Majesty! Of course!" She scurried away, returning with a small bundle clutched in her hand. Kneeling down next to Elsa, she peeled away the cloth covering the cut on her leg. Although Elsie tried to remove it as gently as possible, the skin still stuck to the cloth. Heins winced- the cut looked much more painful than Elsa was letting on. Silence fell as everyone tried not to watch the gruesome work; the wound looked much worse than anyone had originally thought. A few minutes passed in uncomfortable silence. Heins hated it. When he had been distracted, looking for help for Elsa, meeting Elsie, he could avoid thinking about the friend he had killed. But now… Everywhere he looked, he saw Alarik's eyes, narrow and accusing. All asking the same question. _Why?_ Heins didn't have an answer.

"Hey," said Kristoff, nudging him. "Let's go for a walk." Heins opened his mouth to protest, but Elsa put a stop to that.

"Go," she urged, her voice weak. "I'm fine, go check on our other wounded. They need you more than I do right now." Acquiescing, Heins turned around and followed Kristoff as they trudged out of the tent.

A few minutes passed of the pair of them doling out water and sympathies (creating quite the stir, it was not normal for royalty to mingle- just another side effect of Anna's influence, Heins supposed), then Kristoff said, "I believe I told you to knock it off."

"I know, I know. It's just… meeting Elsie, joking around like that… it all felt so wrong." Kristoff nodded sympathetically. "I mean, Alarik just-" Heins's voice caught in his throat. "It just seems disrespectful."

"Heins, listen to me. You can't go down this path. It takes a long time to get back if you do. Trust me. I've been there." Heins looked at him in surprise. Kristoff had a grim smile on his face. "I mean, you know how Anna and I met- why do you think I was out there alone, with no one but a reindeer for company?"

Heins was flabbergasted. "I don't know- I guess I never thought about it."

Kristoff squinted at someone in the distance, sprinting towards them through the masses of Arendellian soldiers. "I'll have to tell you later, looks like a runner." As the runner approached, Heins could just make out a bloodstained Sun of Corona emblazoned on his chest. So focused was he on his task that he nearly ran right past Heins, and he had to catch the leather-armored man by the arm to get his attention.

"Hey!" he yelled. "What d'you think you're doing? Oh! My Lord! Apologies!"

"It's nothing," Heins said, squinting at the man. "You're… Friedrich, right?" The man nodded. "What word from Queen Rapunzel?"

"She requests your urgent assistance to the west, My Lord. The fight goes badly for her. Also, your General Raston requested I bring you a message from him as well- he says the eastern flank needs reinforcements." Heins swore under his breath. _Great- pulled in two directions._

"Very well. You may tell Queen Rapunzel we shall send reinforcements her way. Do you still know where General Raston is?" Friedrich nodded. "Please tell him I will handle the east."

"Yes, My Lord." He spun on the spot and sprinted off.

"We need to go tell Elsa," said Kristoff.

"Tell me what?" a voice croaked from behind them. Elsie had finished her work, and Elsa stood straight and strong, her leg bound tight with expert care. Some sort of balm appeared to have been applied to her neck, and it had already reduced the swelling, but it still looked very painful. Anna stood beside her sister, resting one hand on Silva's pommel. The rest of the Queensguard stood ready, professional determination on their faces.

"Tell you that Rapunzel needs reinforcements to the west and Raston needs them to the east." Elsa's brow furrowed.

"Okay…" she began, frowning. "We can't afford any more troops to the west, they should have more than enough…"

"The problem is Corona," Heins said. "They're unused to war."

Elsa nodded pensively. "Okay… If I were to go fight, it might ease their minds to know there's a magician with them... As for the east… okay. Heins and I will take Cari, Liam, and Baldur to the west. The rest of you, take three divisions from Captain Stal and take them to the east."

"Wait, Elsa-" Anna protested. "I want to come with you!"

"No, Anna. I need you on the east. To lead our people. They need someone to fight for."

"Wait, what? Me?" Anna said incredulously.

Elsa chuckled, a dry, wheezy laugh. "Oh Kristoff, you're right. She has no idea." Anna started to reply, but Elsa continued. "Anna, please. I need you over on the east."

"Fine," Anna sighed, then she rounded on Heins. "Don't let anything happen to her. Please."

Heins saluted her with Voda. "On my honor, she will be safe. We'll see you guys once the battle's won, yeah?"

"Deal. Now get going."

* * *

An hour later, Corona's command tent finally came into view. It had taken what seemed like forever to worm their way around the worst of the fighting. Even so, all of them had accrued fresh cuts and bruises, but at least they were all still in fighting shape. Elsa had been holding off on her magic, conserving her strength for when it would be more needed.

"Alright, almost there," said Baldur, breathing hard. An Empire soldier leaped at him from the side, sword flashing. The soldier found himself very suddenly headless, courtesy of Voda's bite. Baldur continued without even glancing aside. "Hope they have water."

As they approached, Heins saw dozens of runners being dispatched, one after the other, in every direction, nearly knocking into each other in their haste. "No wonder they're struggling," he muttered to Elsa.

"Mmm," she said in agreement, voice having regained most of it's former self, but still raspy. "Rapunzel doesn't trust her people- that, or they genuinely aren't capable. I haven't sent that many orders all day, and she's done it in five minutes."

Arriving at the tent, they found their way blocked by two guards, neither of whom looked a day over 14. "State your name and business," the one on the right demanded.

"Er… what?" said Elsa. "Seriously?" She gestured to her delicate crown resting on her brow and her elaborate armor. "Can you really not tell?"

They shifted uneasily. "Well… yeah, but, well… state your name and business," they repeated without conviction. Elsa sighed in annoyance.

"Queen Elsa, King Heins, Ser Baldur, Ser Liam, Ser Leila, here to see Queen Rapunzel by her own request. Now stand aside."

"Let them in already!" came a call from within the tent.

"Yes, Your Majesty! Right away, Your Majesty! You may enter!"

"Gee, thanks," Heins muttered. Elsa must have heard him, because she flashed him a quick smile. The two boys stood aside and they entered the tent. Rapunzel, Eugene, and a half dozen people Heins didn't know stood hunched over a table, battle lines and a crude map sketched across its surface. A quick glance was all it took for Heins to know it was hopelessly inaccurate, reflecting battle lines that hadn't been current for hours, despite Gareth delivering regular reports to Corona as well as Arendelle. _If this is what they've been basing their decisions on, no wonder they're struggling_ , thought Elsa. _Rapunzel doesn't have the mind for this. Still, it's not like she wants to be here, she's defending her people the best they can._ It was true, Rapunzel and Eugene both looked like they had been to hell and back already, having seen a great deal of combat, and it was barely mid afternoon.

"Elsa, welcome," Rapunzel said, straightening up. "How many did you bring?"

Elsa smiled apologetically, gesturing to herself and the others. "Just what you see, I'm afraid."

Rapunzel frowned. "I asked for reinforcements, and I get five people?" she said, a drop of venom in her voice. Eugene glanced around uneasily.

Elsa's face did not change, and her voice was still pleasant, but a soft chill began emanating from her. "I have seen too many of my people die today, hundreds of miles away from home, for the sake of your kingdom. We are doing the best we can to assist you. You asked for assistance, and we are here to provide."

Rapunzel was mortified. "You're right, Elsa. I'm sorry. I was out of line. I just had hoped for more."

"Trust in me, Rapunzel," Elsa said, the chill dissipating. "The problem isn't numbers here."

"What do you mean?"

 _We don't have time for this._ "Look, Rapunzel," Heins said. "Your men are green. They can't help it, but they are. We saw what was going on as we made our way here. They lack discipline, and they lack fire. We're here to provide that."

"How?" asked Eugene. "We've been fighting alongside them too."

"I see that, and don't think I don't see that as significant," Heins replied. "But you didn't have a magician fighting with you."

"True," said Eugene. "But will it make that much of a difference?"

Heins smiled. "Come and see."

Elsa allowed Rapunzel and Eugene to lead the way out of the tent, followed closely by herself, Heins, and her Queensguard. Heads swiveled as they passed, and soldiers fell in line behind them, first one or two at a time, then by the dozens, making their way towards the front. They arrived at the furthest point that was still in friendly territory and paused. Elsa took a deep breath, then stomped her foot. At once, a pillar of ice began growing beneath them, raising the four monarchs above the heads of everyone present. Every eye on both sides of the conflict turned their eyes to the sight, some in fear, some in anger, some in awe- but all of them looked nonetheless. Rapunzel stepped forward.

"Soldiers of the Empire! Lay down your weapons and surrender immediately! You have my word that no harm will come to you!"

"Go to hell!" one soldier screamed. Without hesitation, Elsa buried an icicle between his eyes, her expression cold. An arrow flew towards Eugene, but Elsa knocked it out of the sky with a burst of snow, and it landed harmlessly in the dirt.

"You have five seconds to comply!" Rapunzel continued unperturbed. There was a flurry of motion as dozens of men threw down their weapons and dropped to their knees, and dozens more turned and fled. Friendly forces, fresh faced and invigorated by Elsa's power, raced forward, some securing weapons and soldiers, others chasing down the fleeing enemy. Within seconds, the battle, which just a few moments ago had been very much against them, had shifted, Corona's forces rallying and pushing the Empire back from positions they'd held since morning. The pillar of ice began to melt, returning the four of them safely to the ground. Elsa's expression was still angry and determined, but Heins just laughed.

"See?"

* * *

They spent the next few hours repeating their strategy all across the front lines. Sometimes the enemy would resist, but more often than not, it would end in a turnaround for an emboldened Corona. They had just returned to the ground after their latest ultimatum when Elsa collapsed to her knees, cradling her head in her hands.

"Elsa!" Heins cried, rushing to her side. "Elsa, what happened?" Her eyes were closed and her breathing was ragged. "Elsa, come on!" He gave her a light shake, then a firmer one when she didn't respond. Then… very slowly, Elsa opened her eyes.

"So… tired…" she muttered.

"Come on," Heins said, throwing Elsa's arm around him and hoisting her to her feet. "Let's get you some rest."

"No!" she cried, slipping from around him. "I'm fine!" Her argument was weakened somewhat when she swayed on her feet, forcing Baldur to catch her before her legs gave way.

"No, Your Majesty, you're really not," Baldur said.

"Get her back to the command tent, Baldur," Heins ordered. "We'll clean up this mess then meet you there." Anna nodded. Liam appeared at Elsa's other arm, and the three of them slowly made their way away from the lines, at times having to support Elsa's entire weight. Heins turned back to Rapunzel.

"We have to collect these prisoners before they realize Elsa's out of the fight," he said.

A short while later, Heins, Eugene, and Rapunzel was walking down a line of over a hundred prisoners, each of them kneeling on the ground as Heins's people bound their hands one by one. Most were unharmed, having reached the front lines only a few minutes before Elsa did. It was one of those unharmed ones that did it. Heins later tried to reason that he couldn't have prevented it, but it was a lie. Heins noticed his eyes first. Most of the prisoners looked defeated, apprehensive- even a little fearful. Not this one. His eyes were full of anger and hate. As if that weren't enough, Heins thought he noticed the man kneeling in a different posture than the rest. He was leaning forward, aggressive, rather than sitting back on his heels, passive, like the rest of his brothers-in-arms. Heins was just too tired, too weary to realize what it meant. It was only after the fact that he thought about how many prisoners there were, and how easy it would be for one to slip through the cracks. To conceal a weapon. They had just started to pass him when he sprang into action. He twisted his legs around underneath him, rising upright, while pulling a knife from his boot in the same motion. The edge glittered through its short arc before disappearing into Eugene's chest in a burst of scarlet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To huge fans of the movie Tangled: Sorry.


	13. Anna - Blue and Red

At first, the extra divisions, as well as their Princess leading the battle, had done wonders for the Arendelle army on the east. With new fire in their hearts, they had taken position after position, clearing the Empire out from fortified positions one by one. Within a few hours, however, the Empire's numerical superiority began to show. Arendelle's advance slowed, then stopped. Now, Anna was facing the prospect of losing even more ground than when she arrived to the endless tide of black uniforms swarming around them.

"Anna!" screamed Kristoff, parrying a fast thrust at his chest and counter-attacking, killing the soldier in front of him with three furious strokes. "We have to fall back!"

"No! Not yet!" she yelled back, killing a soldier who was trying to stab Leila, Silva gleaming crimson in the midday sun.

"Anna, he's right!" Cari cried. "We're getting overrun!" There was a brief respite in the fighting, and Arendellian forces swarmed around Anna, desperately trying to protect their Princess. In the momentary peace that followed, Anna called her Queensguard members to her.

"We have to do something, I need suggestions, now," she said. Kristoff, Alan, and Leila all started speaking at once, but a soft voice silenced them all.

"Your Highness, if I may." Whenever Silas spoke, it was a good idea to listen. Anna nodded. "Thank you. If you'll look to the west, you'll see that the center of our line is doing quite well. If we…" Anna was growing more impressed as he spoke and somewhat annoyed that she hadn't thought of it earlier.

"I need five runners, immediately." As if by magic, runners melted out of the crowds around them, saluting and waiting for instructions. Anna had utilized Arendelle's excellent runners far too often to be surprised at their sudden appearance. "Here's what I want you to do…"

* * *

An hour later, everything was ready.

"Sound the retreat!" called Anna. Moments later, great drums rang out across the battlefield, followed by the Horn of Arendelle's shameful call.

"Retreat!"

"Fall back!"

The Empire charged forward even as Arendelle scrambled back, some even throwing down their weapons in their mad dash to escape. Anna glanced at her husband from their vantage point, a tiny swell in the ground a half mile back from the front lines. It was barely higher than any other point in the plains, but the rest of the plains were so flat, they could see the far edge of the Empire's camp, so it suited their purposes just fine. "So far, so good," she said.

Silas's plan was risky, but simple. As the east flank of the army buckled and withdrew, the center, reinforced by cavalry, would push into the heart of the army as far as they could, then veer east as the Empire's eastern flank came forward, slicing through a large portion of the heart of the Empire's army. With any luck, it would be enough to cut a large section off from the rest of the army. Alone, surrounded, no reinforcements coming… they would be forced to seek cover in the trees. Anna didn't think they'd like that very much.

 _It's working pretty well so far,_ Anna thought as she watched. Already, the trap was closing. What must have been close to five thousand of the Empire were already nearly cut off from the main body. Arendelle was sustaining heavy losses in the center, but they were driving relentlessly north and east. Within a mere quarter hour, the Empire's east flank found themselves removed from the main army and surrounded on three sides.

Next to Anna, Kristoff's ears perked up and he tilted his head to the side, a quizzical look etched on his face. "Hear that?" he asked. Anna strained her ears.

"What? Wait- is that?" Kristoff grinned. The Empire's horns were sounding a retreat. As it rang out over the battle, the last of the eastern front's morale snapped. Thousands of soldiers broke ranks and sprinted away from the battle, heading straight for the trees. Anna felt a slight pang of sympathy for the retreating men as they began reaching the treeline and disappearing into its depths. It wasn't until every soldier was enveloped by the thick brambles that the trees began to move and the soldiers began to scream. Anna shuddered. She was very thankful she couldn't see through the trees. Shana was taking some small part of her revenge, and she seemed to be relishing the opportunity.

Anna turned her back on the forest, and focused on the frontline. The Empire was disengaging on all fronts, leaving piles of bodies in their wake. It was the first time Anna got a good view of the dead. Thousands upon thousands of bodies were littered across the plains. There seemed to be a good deal more black uniforms, but there were still many, far too many, of Arendelle's soldiers lying dead. Realization and revulsion crashed over her in equal measure. Somehow, during the battle, the reality of the day seemed distant, unreal. Already, minutes after the Empire called the retreat, the reality was flooding back. So much death. How many? How many were dead by her orders? How many were dead by her very sword? Bile rose in Anna's throat and she bent double. Sick splattered the earth in front of her, then again. She continued retching long after there was anything left in her stomach. She was vaguely aware of a hand on her back. After what seemed like hours, but was surely only minutes, she straightened up. Her entire head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice, and tears streaked down her face, smearing with the dirt, blood, and grime. She wasn't sure if she was crying from the effort of retching, or the desperate, crushing misery that had seized hold of her.

The hand on her back turned out to be Cari's, and she pulled Anna into a hug.

"It's okay, Anna," she said, stroking Anna's hair. "We did it. We survived."

Anna choked back a sob. "I know." A burst of snow shot into the sky to the west, and they broke apart. "Elsa needs us over there." Kristoff had not failed to notice Anna's trouble, but he seemed unsure of how to proceed.

"Anna?"

"I'm fine, Kristoff."

"You sure? We can walk around, you won't have to see-"

"No. I owe it to them. We have to remember them. We can't just avoid them and pretend they're not there." Kristoff looked like he wanted to say something, but did not voice it.

"Okay, Anna."

Anna had never had a longer walk. The snow had only come from a mile away, but it felt like hundreds. At first, Anna noticed every grisly facet of the horror around her. After a while, she started to only notice little details, the things that reminded her of what she feared most. A pair of eyes the color of Elsa's, hair like Kristoff's, a bow like Cari's, a boisterous belly like Liam's, a ribbon like hers, blue, stained crimson with blood-

She turned aside, cutting in front of Kristoff and ignoring his sound of surprise. The world fell silent, her vision seemed to blur and contract until all she could see was the young brown haired man lying in front of her, a blue, blood spattered ribbon tied around his arm. He had not died well. His stomach was split open across his navel, a grisly mouth where it didn't belong. His fingers tangled around his entrails. He had died trying to put himself back together. His eyes stared through her, blank and unseeing. She knelt beside him. Kristoff arrived and knelt down beside her, putting a comforting arm around her and sadly staring down at Caleb.

"He- he didn't...," Anna started, then choked on the words, rocking back and forth, feeling like a lead weight had dropped into her empty stomach. She clutched at Kristoff's arm and sobbed, tears dropping onto Caleb's body. They stayed like that for a long time. When Anna finally regained her breath, and was reasonably sure she wouldn't start crying again, she reached out with numb hands and untied her ribbon from his arm as gently as she could, as though he were sleeping and she didn't want to disturb him. She wound the ribbon around her own hands, staining them scarlet with his still warm blood.

* * *

Anna did not break her silence the entire rest of the walk to Elsa. She couldn't stop fidgeting with her ribbon, winding it around each finger in turn, then unwinding, winding, then unwinding… She didn't know exactly what had driven her to untie it off of Caleb's arm, or why his death had affected her so strongly. Stronger even than she felt when Alarik had died, a fact that not only left her deeply ashamed, but also, confused.

"Uhh… Anna?" Kristoff said. "Your hands…" Anna's hands were dyed a dark red by now.

"Oh, right," said Anna, but she did not stop. Wind, unwind, wind, unwind…

"Anna!" Elsa's relieved cry shook Anna out of her trance. They had arrived at the command tent without Anna even noticing. The next thing she knew, a blonde haired woman launched herself into Anna's arms, wrapping her in a tight hug. Heins walked up beside her and greeted Kristoff, and Anna's Queensguard swept around her, looking forward to being able to rest, if even for a moment. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Elsa cried. When Anna didn't respond, she pulled back and gazed at her sister in concern. "You are okay, right?"

"What? Oh, yes. Sorry. I just…" Anna's voice faded into silence as she realized she couldn't form the words. She was spared from an explanation when Elsa's eyes found the blue ribbon.

"Wait, Anna, why do you have… oh." Elsa's face fell. Anna managed a sad smile, but her eyes burned with tears.

"I… found him. Out there," she gestured.

"Anna, I'm… I'm so sorry," Elsa said.

"I'm okay," Anna lied.

"Anna," Elsa said, in an I-know-perfectly-well-you're-lying sort of voice.

"Okay, well, no, I'm not. But I will be. Promise. I don't even know why it hurts so bad. Thousands are dead, but somehow this feels more... It's just… he was so…"

"Innocent," Kristoff said. Anna nodded and wiped her eyes.

"I'll be fine. How are Rapunzel and Eugene?" Elsa and Heins shifted uncomfortably. "...What?" Anna asked, dread filling her stomach.

"They're alive."

"What happened?"

Elsa dropped her eyes. "It was all my fault-"

"No," Heins cut in. "Elsa, we've been over and over this-"

"If I'd have been there, it wouldn't have happened!" Elsa cried.

"What happened?" Anna demanded.

"Anna, Eugene was wounded," said Heins. "It's pretty bad. The healers are with him now. They're saying they don't know if he'll make it. They're going to take him to the capital in an hour."

Anna gasped. "How did it happen?"

"We were rounding up prisoners," Heins said. "One of them had a knife hidden in his boot, and as we went by him, well…" His voice faded to nothing and he ran a hand over the back of his head.

"Oh my God," said Anna. "How's Rapunzel?"

"She's handling it about as you'd expect," Elsa said. "Not well. She's going to need us to be strong in there. Can you handle that?"

Anna clenched the ribbon in her fist. "Yes."

Elsa nodded, pleased. "Good. Let's head in then, she's waiting for us." Elsa turned and led the way to the entrance of the enormous purple tent. Anna could hear raised voices even dozens of feet from the tent. Elsa motioned for the others to follow and pushed open the curtain. In the middle of the tent was a table ten feet in diameter, with maps covering the whole surface. Generals and members of the Coronan Royal Court were surrounding the table, shouting and yelling at one another, jabbing at the maps. Rapunzel slumped in a chair on the far end, seeming detached from the chaos, head in her hands. A look of frustration, and maybe even anger, flashed across Elsa's face, but it was gone as quickly as it arrived, and Anna wasn't sure she saw anything at all. With a wave of her hand, Elsa dismissed the Queensguard, who saluted gratefully and headed off to find some water and rest. Out of the corner of her eye, Anna glimpsed Baldur and Leila greeting one another rather... enthusiastically. As horrible as the day had been, seeing the two of them together was enough to make her feel as though there was still a little light in the world.

Kristoff nudged her and leaned over. "You're smiling," he muttered in her ear.

"Who wouldn't seeing those two?"

"Good point. Come on, something's going on." Elsa had snuck away and was kneeling in front of Rapunzel, talking to Corona's Queen, who had not given any indication she was even listening. Elsa's growing frustration was clear on her face, but her voice stayed calm and even.

Walking over, Anna began to catch snippets of the conversation. "...and we lost thousands out there,men who came to your kingdom's aid, and you won't even look at me? I'm sorry about Eugene, Rapunzel, but you have got to snap out of it, at least until we come up with a plan." Rapunzel's demeanor was unchanged. Elsa threw her hands up and rose to her feet, turning to Anna. "Can you get her to focus? I give up." With that, she stomped off, her bloodstained cape flapping behind her.

Anna went over to her cousin and knelt down, gingerly placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Rapunzel?" Anna asked. "You okay?" No response. "Um… we really need you here. We've won the battle, sort of, but not the war. You still have a job to do, it's your duty as Queen." Nothing. Anna's patience and compassion, already at it's lowest point ever, was growing even thinner. "Come on, Rapunzel. Chin up. You think Eugene would want this? For you to mope around and let your kingdom fall into disarray?" When no answer was forthcoming, Anna's patience snapped, and what little control she had left deserted her. "You know what? To hell with you. You see this?" She stuck the ribbon in Rapunzel's face. "I took this off the body of a 16 year old boy. No more than a child. He died for _your_ kingdom, and you disrespect his memory, and the memory of all those who died today, no matter who they fought for." Anna spun on her heel and stormed away, leaving a stunned Kristoff in her wake.


	14. Kristoff - Rogue Element

With Rapunzel out of commission, it had fallen to Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Heins to come up with some sort of plan to get them out of this mess. At first, Corona's military advisors insisted on an immediate attack, today, essentially restarting the battle they had only just survived. It took Kristoff all of two seconds to decide that that was the dumbest and worst idea he'd ever heard in his life, but he was spared the trouble of beating them over their stupid heads by Elsa's angry tirade, which was a spectacular display, despite the fact that she used no magic for the entire seven minute duration. The advisors fell into line after that. With them tucked in Elsa's pocket, a plan was devised.

All of Corona would be emptied. The sheer power and size of the Empire meant that most of Corona was already a lost cause. Every civilian would flee to the south, being sent to several different cities in Arendelle for the time being. Arendelle would house and feed them in exchange for labor, helping to gather supplies, tend to crops, and help supply the main body of Arendelle's army, which was still in Arendelle. Meanwhile, the military forces of Corona and the remaining Arendelle army would fortify Corona's capital the best they could. The other main cities, Tramstow, Arras, and Reinberg, would be booby-trapped as much as possible, and all the food in them would be either destroyed or poisoned. In this way, they hoped to outlast the enemy, without causing undue suffering among the population of Corona, while also fortifying Arendelle in case Corona were to fall. In the event of Corona's defeat, they had every ship in Corona en route to the capital, hoping to make a water retreat down the coast and regroup in Arendelle. Kristoff wasn't convinced they could outrun the Empire's Navy, but it would take their warships a while to get around the coast to Corona, hopefully after the situation had been resolved one way or another. They hoped that by surrendering the cities and villages without a fight, the Empire would leave them untouched, or at least not destroyed, for the citizens to return to, assuming they lived that long. Shana and Martha would be sent back to Arendelle right away. They were too valuable to lose, and neither of their talents would be of use now. The Dreamwalker was still in the Southern Isles, as far as they could tell, and no other magicians had been sighted yet. Gareth, on the other hand, would remain to keep tabs on the Empire from the sky as the evacuation was carried out, assisted by Jakob, who would use his talents to relay information quickly from near the Empire back to the Arendellian army.

The plan set, Elsa dispatched dozens of runners, carrying their orders throughout the entire camp, then dismissed everyone to go rest up for a few hours before moving out towards their assigned city to assist and organize the evacuation. Kristoff and Anna, accompanied by Leila and Baldur, would head for Arras, Heins and Elsa, with the rest of the Queensguard, would make for Tramstow, and Reinberg, the smallest of the three, was left to Rapunzel. Kristoff hoped she'd be up for the job.

"Ow… ow… owowowowowow…" Anna's pained whimpers were enough to startle Kristoff back to the present.

"Anna? Need help with that?" The pair of them were back in their tent, removing their armor, and his wife had gotten stuck in a ridiculous position, half in and half out of her chestplate. She had taken a blow to the shoulder at some point during the fighting, and no matter what she did, she could not quite extricate her right arm from her cuirass, which was over her head, pinning her arms straight up. Kristoff went over behind her and took her hand, guiding her arm down and through the armor, then lifted it the rest of the way off of her and tossed it to the ground.

"Thanks, Kristoff."

"Er, you're welcome," he said, taken aback at the coldness of her tone.

Anna sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean…"

"I know, Anna." She turned around and wrapped Kristoff in a tight hug. Her eyes were red and wet. "It's just..." she sniffed.

"I know, baby," Kristoff said, stroking her hair and resting his cheek on the top of her head. "But it'll be okay. We have a plan." Anna snorted and pulled away from him, bending down to unlatch her greaves.

"Yeah, a plan we had to come up with," Anna said, a bitter edge to her voice as Kristoff pulled his own armor over his head and tossed it on the floor next to Anna's, before pulling off his filthy shirt. The fabric peeled away from his skin painfully, the blood and sweat that covered it having dried to both it and his skin. It was with some relish that he threw the shirt into the corner, resolving to burn it at the first opportunity.

"Doesn't matter," he said, sitting down on the edge of the cot and beginning to unlace his boots. "It's the only plan. Corona is too spread out to try to defend without consolidating in the capital. Some of the smaller towns only number in the dozens. They'd be overrun in minutes, and either conscripted and forced to fight or just slaughtered. I don't get the impression that the Empire takes prisoners."

"Yeah, I suppose," Anna relented, taking a seat next to him and bending down to unlace her own. "Anyway-" Whatever Anna was about to say next was lost as Elsa's voice came from outside the tent.

"Anna? You guys changed yet?"

"Almost," Anna called back. "What's up?"

"We're heading to the hospital tent." Heins's voice this time. "Wanted to see the wounded, try to lift their spirits, help out if we can. Want to come?"

"Yeah, alright," said Anna, but her face was troubled.

" _What's wrong?"_ Kristoff mouthed at her.

Anna crossed over to him and whispered in his ear. "I'll be fine, just… it's not going to be pleasant there, is it?" Kristoff shook his head, but shrugged in a _But what can you do?_ sort of way.

A short while later, Anna and Kristoff exited their tent, looking much better than they had going in. Both of them were clad in a cream colored tunic and dark green pants. Cuts and bruises were plentiful on both of them, but most of the blood had been washed off at least, except for the bloodstains on the blue ribbon wound around Anna's right wrist. Elsa and Heins had plopped down on the short grass just outside the tent, and glanced up at them. Elsa glanced at the ribbon, but she decided not to comment. "Ready to go?" Elsa asked instead.

"Yep," Kristoff said, crossing over to Heins and offering a hand up, which was gratefully accepted. Heins looked even more exhausted than Kristoff. Next to them, Anna helped Elsa up, who winced as she put weight on her bad leg. Concern flashed in Anna's eyes.

"I'll be fine, Anna," Elsa insisted, waving away her sister. "I can walk on my own." She took one shaky step and nearly fell over, her sister just catching her in time. Anna glared at her. "Well, sort of," she admitted, not meeting Anna's eyes. "Heins has been helping me get around."

"You should be resting," Anna said. "Not up and about."

"Yeah, but I can't. There's too much to do. Now quiet. Let's go." Heins started to move toward his wife, but Anna butted him out of the way and ducked under Elsa's shoulder, wrapping her arm around her sister's waist and supporting her weight.

"Back off, Heins. I got this." Heins looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it, and merely chuckled and gestured for the girls to go ahead. "That's right…" Anna muttered as she passed him. Kristoff followed, falling into step beside Heins, trailing the girls.

A growing trepidation filled Kristoff's stomach as they weaved their way around the tents, exhausted soldiers, and discarded armor. He didn't want to go to the hospital tent. Unlike the others, he knew what it would be like in there. None of the others had been through what Kristoff had, the sad tale that ended with him in the mountains with his only remaining friend being a reindeer from his childhood. He hated seeing the aftermath of a fight. In the heat of battle, it was easy to forget himself, being swallowed up by the fury and the bloodlust that served him so well in combat, but afterwards… it devastated him, more than he wanted to admit, to anyone, but especially himself, to see the wounded, to put faces with those he had destroyed, each wounded Arendellian transforming into one of his kills before his very eyes. He desperately wanted to say something, to decline, to shrug off his responsibility, but he couldn't. He couldn't bear the shame of shirking such a solemn duty. Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face, though, because Heins was glancing at him in concern.

"You alright, Kristoff?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Well… yeah." The urge had come over him once again, to come clean, to tell the whole story, to tell everyone how exactly he had come to be at Wandering Oaken's Trading Post that fateful day- but if he did, he didn't think the others would ever understand. How could they, if they knew what Kristoff had done? Heins was still looking at him, so Kristoff forced a laugh. "I'm fine, Heins," he said. But then, a blonde soldier sitting just off the main path caught Kristoff's eye.

He was sitting on the ground, alone, with his head in his hands, staring down at a bloody dagger stabbed into the ground. The dagger was ornate, with a blue ribbon tied around its hilt stabbed into the ground in front of him. There was a dirty white cloth wrapped around his right arm, blood soaked straight through and dripping onto the ground. The man raised his head, tears flowing thick and fast down his cheeks, and Kristoff's stride faltered. _That's… that's me!_

The man resembled Kristoff to a striking degree- no, it _was_ him, somehow he was sure of it. He was exactly the same. His face was streaked with tears, and was twisted into a horrible grimace of pain and grief. Looking closer, Kristoff recognized the white cloth as Elsa's cape, and around the hilt- _is that Anna's ribbon?_ Kristoff had come to a complete halt. He wanted- needed- to get a closer look.

"Kristoff?" Kristoff jumped at the sound of Heins's voice, taking his eyes off of his doppelganger to see Heins still looking at him, frowning. "You sure you're okay? You just stopped walking."

Kristoff whirled back around, pointing. "Look at that man, doesn't he-" His voice cut off as he realized that he was pointing at a bare patch of earth. No sign of the man could be seen, no dagger, no blood on the ground, no nothing. Kristoff stared at the spot.

"Er, Kristoff?" Heins asked again, stepping closer. Elsa and Anna had stopped too, twisting around to look. Kristoff was dumbfounded.

"Er- nothing. I thought I saw something," Kristoff said uneasily, unsure how to tell the others what he saw. The others kept looking for a moment, then Anna shrugged and kept helping Elsa away. After a moment, Heins followed. Kristoff forced his legs to carry him forward, disturbed. _What the hell was that?_ He wasn't the type of man to believe in such nonsense as visions. Granted, it was harder to deny it now that he had come face to face with so much magic, but still. Was he simply going mad? Did he finally crack under the pressure of battle? _No. I know what I saw_ , he told himself, but he wasn't sure he believed it. But what did it mean? Was it a vision of the future? As he pondered, his blood went cold. The same dagger he had seen driven into the ground was bouncing off his wife's hip ahead of him. _Stop it!_ he berated himself. _It was nothing. It meant nothing. You're just freaking out a bit, get a grip._ But what he had seen continued to trouble him all the way to the hospital tent. Once he arrived, however, it was driven out of his mind. He gazed open mouthed in shock around the tent. The conditions were deplorable. The massive tent was sweltering hot, and flies buzzed around in droves. The wounded lay on the ground, packed far too close together to be sanitary. Elsa evidently found the conditions just as appalling, as she drew herself up without a word, pushing Anna away and spreading her arms. A rush of cold air emanated from her, whipping Kristoff's hair back and dropping the temperature in the tent by at least ten degrees. She clapped her hands together, and bursts of snow shot out from her fingers, freezing most of the flies in midair, each unfortunate insect dropping to the floor, lifeless. This spectacular display did not fail to turn heads, and Elsa dropped her gaze to the floor as hundreds of pairs of eyes stared in her direction. The silence was palpable. After half a minute, Anna crossed to the closest soldier, a balding man with soiled bandages around his stump of a leg, crouched down, and began to talk to him. Kristoff hesitated, then went to another soldier with a thick bandage wrapped around his head and over one eye. Elsa and Heins found their own patients, and the four of them moved slowly through the entire tent, one wounded man at a time.

They had been in the tent for nearly three hours when Kristoff's eyes fell upon the back of a shaggy head that looked familiar. Kristoff realized with a start that it was Tulkas, one of the young men they had chatted with a few days prior. He started making his way over. At first, Kristoff couldn't tell why Tulkas was in the hospital tent at all. He didn't seem injured, just tired, sitting on the ground with his head down, as though he was just dozing off. As Kristoff got closer, however, he saw that his shoulder was covered in bloody bandages, and he looked as though he didn't quite know where he was or why he was there. He didn't seem to notice Kristoff approach.

"Uh… hey, Tulkas," Kristoff said, unsure if Tulkas could even process the greeting.

There was no response for a moment, then: "They're all dead," Tulkas said.

"Um… who is?" asked Kristoff, but he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

"They're all dead," Tulkas repeated, in the exact same tone and inflection he had used before.

"Are you talking about your friends?" Kristoff asked, then winced at the tactlessness of his own question. Elsa had just sidled up beside him and was looking with some concern at Tulkas.

"Tulkas?" she said in a soft voice. "Are you alright?"

Tulkas slowly turned his head to stare at Elsa. His eyes were blank, and he seemed to stare without actually seeing. "They're all dead. AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" he roared.

He sprang to his feet and charged at Elsa before either she or Kristoff could react. One massive fist caught her in the jaw and she dropped as fast as if she had had her legs cut out from under her. The other fist went straight for Kristoff, who jumped back to avoid the blow, but tripped over a wounded soldier and landed in a tangle of limbs. Elsa was on the ground, dazed, blinking fast to try to clear her head, when Tulkas knelt down and started choking her, fingers tightening into her already damaged flesh. Kristoff had just started to rise when Heins passed him at a dead sprint, lowering his shoulder and crashing into Tulkas. Tulkas was so big that this probably hurt Heins, who was now on the ground clutching his shoulder, more than Tulkas, but it was enough to knock his hands off of Elsa's throat. Elsa gasped and scrambled backward on the ground, throwing her hand out as though to use magic, but she seemed somehow drained. Nothing happened. Other healers were entering the fray now, jumping on Tulkas as he tried to rise once more, doing their best to restrain him. But Tulkas was too strong and too full of anger for them to hold him for long. He caught one by the neck under his arm, and with a savage jerk, broke the man's neck, letting his lifeless body crumple to the ground. The other healers shouted in rage and horror, and retreated out of his reach, no small feat in the cramped tent.

"No!" screamed Kristoff. Why had he left Avling back in his tent? Was he really so stupid as to discard his weapons, even for a moment? He glanced around for something, anything he could use to stop Tulkas before he reached Elsa. He doubted Elsa would survive a second time in his grasp. Anna was still shoving her way through a crowd on the other side of the tent- but she had also left her blade in the tent. Elsa's eyes were filled with terror, her damaged throat unable to even scream as Tulkas leant down, reaching out with twisted fingers. A white shape knocked Kristoff aside, moving as fast and as silent as a specter from the old tales Grand Pabbie used to tell him. The white shape, which Kristoff could now see was a hooded figure wearing a long white coat, took a great running leap, landing lightly on Tulkas's back just as his hands closed around Elsa's head, preparing for one quick snap. The hooded figure's arms moved rapidly, then, just as fast as the shape had landed, he jumped off, landing gracefully and slinking towards Elsa. Tulkas was frozen, then, without a sound, toppled over, just missing Elsa, and did not move. There were several small puncture wounds, but very little blood, in his back and on the back of his neck.

Kristoff was stunned still, unsure if what he had just witnessed was real or not. The man- or whatever it was- was leaning over Elsa now, who looked, if it was even possible, even more terrified. Kristoff regained his senses and ran over, pulling the figure off of Elsa. In a move so fast, Kristoff wasn't even sure how it happened, the figure had him in a tight grip, facing him, one hand at the back of Kristoff's head, and the other, holding a blade to his throat- no, not holding, it was coming from something on his wrist. Everyone froze. Heins and Anna stood just off to the side, tense, but unmoving.

"Order your men to stand down, Queen Elsa, or I will kill Prince Kristoff," said the man- for Kristoff could now see that it was a man- in a firm, but calm, voice.

"What… men…" Elsa croaked. Kristoff was equally confused, no one around them was armed, nor were any of them making any motions at all.

His eyes still boring into Kristoff's, his pointed hood resting above his dark eyes, he said, "The ones to my left, the four of them. Your Queensguard. Order them to stand down, now." Despite the blade still just a hair's breadth from his throat, Kristoff glanced over and saw Leila, Baldur, Silas, and Cari all the way at the other end of the tent, all with bows drawn. _How did he even see them?_

"How can… trust… kill him anyway?" Elsa managed to whisper, trying to sit up, but unable to keep her balance and falling back to her elbows.

"If I wanted any of you dead, you'd have died long ago, and no one would have even known how. Stand. Down." His voice had not wavered from its even tone.

"Don't do it, Elsa," Kristoff hissed. She looked at him blearily.

"It is not this one's time to die, but if you force my hand…" the man said, an edge finally creeping into his voice. Elsa hung her head, then signaled to the members of the Queensguard, who lowered their bows, but did not unnock their arrows. The man did not move. After a short while, Elsa signaled again, and the Queensguard reluctantly returned the arrows to their quivers. Despite the fact that he did not once take his eyes off of Kristoff, the man seemed to know that he was no longer in immediate danger, and released Kristoff. The blade had gone before Kristoff could see where he put it, with a slight slithering sound the only indication. Now that Kristoff could take a proper look at the man, he noticed that what he thought were plain white robes, were in fact elaborately layered and armored. There were red details that looked something like scarves hanging on the front and back of his legs, and the bottom of the robes was angled and cut, so that he could move freely. A leather pauldron wrapped over his left shoulder, securing a white half cape that hung down over his left arm, obscuring it from view. On his abdomen was a broad leather belt with an intricate symbol Kristoff didn't recognize. It looked like a sort of rounded triangle, with the bottom side not quite meeting in the middle. A small ruby was set in the top, and elaborate leafwork surrounded it. He wore bracers on each wrist, each of them set with the same symbol as on his stomach, as well as a large ring on his left hand with the same symbol etched into the ruby.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," the man said, turning to Elsa and giving an odd sort of salute, where he placed his right hand over his heart with his ring finger bent down, so it looked like it was missing, then bowed. Comprehension dawned on Anna and Elsa's faces, but Kristoff was more confused than ever. Without another word, the man turned and swept down the rows, past the Queensguard, who were glancing hopefully at Elsa as though wishing she'd give the okay to attack, and out of the tent. Heins and Anna had already crossed to Elsa's side, and were heaving her to her feet, supported between them. Elsa was still staring in shock at where the man had exited the tent.

"You three, get him out of here," Heins said to a group of healers, nudging Tulkas with his foot. "You two, take care of him-" he indicated the dead healer- "and you, come with us." The healers hurried to obey as Heins and Anna led Elsa towards the back of the tent, where a soldier with his arm in a sling leapt off his chair, allowing Elsa to sink gratefully into it. Kristoff rushed after them. The healer Heins had called to was bent over Elsa, examining her neck closely.

"Who was that?" Kristoff asked Elsa, but it was Anna who answered.

"An assassin," she said at once.

"Wait," said Heins. "We just let an _assassin_ walk out of here?"

"No, no, not _that_ kind of assassin. These guys aren't for hire. They help. Well… supposedly. I never actually believed they exist…"

"How about now?" Heins asked sarcastically, cocking an eyebrow at Anna. Anna responded, but Kristoff did not hear her words. He still had not found his bearings, and just stood there, unsure of what to do with himself. The others were nothing more than so much noise, distracting him. His head was spinning, his frustrated brain trying hard to wrap itself around the events of only a few minutes ago, but which already felt like hours. Had Tulkas been traumatized by the battle, and had shunted those feelings onto Elsa? A burning hatred that only murder could quench? But still, Kristoff didn't think Elsa was to blame here. She was only doing what she had to for her ally, that was all. It left a deep sense of unease in the pit of Kristoff's stomach. It was as though death was determined to have all of the boys they had sat around the fire with, and was angry that Tulkas had the nerve to survive the battle. Kristoff was not superstitious, but he could not deny that some strange things had been happening. First, he had seen himself sitting alongside the path, then, a well mannered boy, as far as Kristoff had been able to tell, had killed a man who was only trying to help him, and had tried to kill Elsa. Then there were his eyes, blank and lifeless even before death had claimed him. Kristoff thought of the Dreamwalker, but they knew for a fact that the Dreamwalker was still in the Southern Isles, Gareth having been there only the previous day. _Something strange is going on_ , he thought. He didn't much like it, either.

And who was that assassin, and why was he so intent to save Elsa? Where had he even come from? The very first that Kristoff knew of him was when he was shoved aside. Had he been in the tent the whole time? How had no one noticed him? Were there more assassins out there, unnoticed until they chose to reveal themselves? Kristoff was quite sure that the man would have been able to deliver on the threat he made. As Heins and Anna continued to talk, Kristoff could see the same thoughts he was having flickering across Elsa's rapidly bruising face as well. The healer had rushed off and come back with a large tub of very thick white paste, which he was now smearing liberally on Elsa's throat, giving her the rather odd appearance of having a very beefy neck, her head looking tiny by comparison. Kristoff sniggered despite himself, and Anna and Heins looked round at him.

"What's so funny?" Anna asked him.

Kristoff shook his head, but he couldn't stop himself glancing at Elsa. Anna and Heins turned around, following his gaze. Anna clapped a hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle, and Heins smirked. Elsa glared at them all, daggers in her bloodshot eyes. Anna immediately looked remorseful.

"Sorry," she muttered. After a moment, Elsa's face relaxed and she shrugged. Although nothing about the situation was funny, the fleeting levity her appearance provided seemed to ease some of the tension out of the air, though it did not completely dissipate.

"Anyway," said Heins, returning to his conversation. "Why was the assassin so intent on saving Elsa? Why reveal himself then?"

"Isn't it obvious?" said Anna. It wasn't obvious to Kristoff, at least, and judging by Heins and Elsa's blank expressions, they were equally confused.

"Because Elsa's the only one who can stop Hans," she said, with an air of one explaining that two and two made four. Elsa looked suddenly uncomfortable, and opened her mouth as though to say something, but at a warning glance from the healer still bustling around her, closed it again. Kristoff, too, wrestled with the words that had leapt to his lips, but he wasn't sure how to phrase them. He wanted to say that Anna should be more realistic with her expectations, to avoid putting undue pressure on her sister, but how was he supposed to phrase that without sounding like he doubted Elsa- which, in all the time he'd known her, he had never done.

"Done," announced the healer, straightening up. "I'd recommend not speaking for a while, Your Majesty. Your throat has had quite a rough day. If you must speak, do so sparingly, and no more than a whisper for at least two days, understand?" Elsa nodded. "Very well. There's not much I can do for that-" he indicated the large bruise on Elsa's jaw "- but if you keep it cool, it should keep the pain and the swelling down."

"A simple enough task for the Ice Queen," chuckled Kristoff, the first words he had spoken since Tulkas had gone berserk. Anna gave a small smile, but then her face went serious, and she took a deep breath before speaking.

"Um… So who was that back there?" she said in a forced casual tone. "That attacked Elsa?"

Kristoff hesitated.

"It was Tulkas, wasn't it?" Kristoff hesitated again, then nodded. Anna blinked rapidly and looked away. Anna was the sort of person to love everyone she met, a trait Kristoff admired very much about her. But it didn't do her any favors in wartime. Her fingers drifted towards the blue ribbon, which was now tied around her right arm, just as it had been around Caleb's. Kristoff knew she had been focused on the assassin to distract her from the identity of Elsa's attacker.

"What about the others? Tom, and Bran? Did anyone tell them about…" Her voice trailed away.

"Well…" Kristoff began. "Tulkas said- before he… well, he said they were dead too." Anna nodded, a few tears falling before Anna hastily brushed them away. Heins and Elsa looked sadly at each other. Anna's fingers tangled with her blue ribbon. Wind… unwind. Wind… unwind. It seemed to calm her down, for her breathing had slowed, and although tears were still welling up in her eyes, they did not fall. Her face was set, and determination shone in her watery eyes.

"Hans will pay for what he's done," she muttered, apparently to herself. To the rest of them, she said, "Time to go, right? We have to go evacuate the cities, don't we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yes, yes, I admit it. It's the Brotherhood. What can I say? Fear not, this is not about to become a full-blown Assassin's Creed crossover. There's no Ezio or anything like that, nor will Pieces of Eden factor into anything. Also, they're not here for no reason. They'll play a more significant (but still minor) role in Part III. Forgive me this small indulgence, the original thought that spawned this now 100,000 word story was a simple one- "What if Elsa and Anna were Assassins?" I know, I know, it's stupid, but it's what spawned this in the first place, and the Brotherhood's had a place in this story from the very beginning. I ask that you bear with me as I continue along. The Brotherhood plays only a small role, and there's no Deus Ex Machina from this point on. As always, comments and feedback are very much welcome.


	15. Heins - Hidden Fears

"And I already told yer little fellas over there, I ain't goin'!"

"Sir, please. By order of Queen Rapunzel, you must evacuate for your own safety-"

"No! This is me 'ome, and I ain't leavin' it fer no one!"

"Sir-"

"NO!"

Heins bit his cheek to keep his temper from rising. A short, bald, and very old man stood, hunchbacked and defiant just feet from him, wagging a finger in Heins's face. It wasn't the first person who had refused to pack up since they arrived in Tramstow the day before, a haphazardly constructed and very tightly packed city with steep roofs, but he was the most determined- and most irritating. He had attacked two of Heins's men for trying to help him pack, limping over as fast as his legs would carry him and whacking them over the head with his thick, knobbly walking stick. They were now standing a safe distance away, nursing various bruises on their heads and shoulders, next to Elsa, who was not helping matters much. She kept breaking into fits of silent giggles, arms crossed and eyes shining with mirth as she watched her husband being berated by a man half his size and four times his age.

"Please, sir, the evacuation is mandatory-"

Heins reacted just in time. The knobbly walking stick swung in a short arc, aiming straight for his temple, but Heins caught the end inches from his head. His anger getting the better of him, he yanked it out of the man's hand, gripped it hard, and broke it in two over his knee, tossing the pieces aside. Elsa's mirth was replaced with shock, and the man let out a cry of outrage, but Heins didn't care.

"I'm sorry," Heins hissed, leaning in close, "did that upset you?"

"Yer bloody well right it did! I-"

"Oh, I _apologize_ ," Heins growled. "I'm sure the Empire will treat you ever so well when the arrive mere days from now. Although I'd advise against attacking _them_. I doubt they will be so understanding as us." He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the man to sputter indignantly behind him.

After he had put some distance between himself and the angry old man, Heins slowed his pace. He did not know where his anger had come from, but it had risen up and consumed him, then left as suddenly as it had come, leaving him feeling hollow and empty. He knew that he oughtn't to have lost his temper like that, and was a little worried about how it had happened. His anger had flared up so suddenly, then vanished just as quickly. But as he walked through the narrow streets packed with refugees, each and every one of them either heading towards the city gates with bowed heads and slumped shoulders, with almost all of their worldly possessions left behind, or trying to gather the things they'd need on the journey to Arendelle. Heins saw one woman rummaging through a pack, a child crying near her, and pulling out a ratty old toy rabbit. She placed it gently on a windowsill, tears running silently down her own face. She then took a loaf of bread from a crate on the floor and put it into the pack instead. She shouldered the pack, picked up her son, and trudged away.

Heins's sickened feeling worsened. They had come to help these people. And what were they doing instead? Uprooting their lives and condemning them to a long road of being refugees. Yes, the Empire was several days away, having taken a while to regroup, and certainly wondering where Arendelle and Corona were going, but still- how many other children had been forced to part with the toys they had had through their whole lives? How many mothers had to leave behind valuables that had been passed down from mother to daughter for generations? How many fathers had to look back on their bakeries, their parlors, their forges, and shut their doors for good? Knowing that, even if they were to return, the Empire would surely have pilfered everything of value from their homes? A fresh wave of fury was bubbling up inside Heins, and it took him a moment to place the object of his anger. At first he thought it was rage at Hans for causing so much pain and suffering, but he became aware that there was a much more immediate hatred burning in his heart- Rapunzel. Why had she been so stupid as to do battle with a superior force in the open? Every military advisor she had must have been screaming at her that it was stupid, that they could withstand a siege, that they could win that way, and yet, she had marched out to meet the Empire on a flat field with no defensive measures or positions whatsoever. Yes, they had "won", but as Heins had once heard his father say, "One more victory like that and I shall come back to the Southern Isles alone." Heins suspected his father had not made up the phrase, but he did not know where it originated from- either way, it was fully applicable here. If it weren't for Rapunzel's inexplicable stupidity, many thousands of people would still be alive, including Alarik and the four boys they sat around the campfire with. Even her own husband would not be fighting for life, the last Heins knew of him he was being rushed to the capital, as they had much better facilities with which to care for him.

"Heins!" came a weak and raspy call from behind him, and Heins slowed to a stop, turning around. Elsa was hurrying toward him, doing her best to weave her way through the crowd, limping on her bad leg and wincing in pain every other step. It had been several days since the battle, but Elsa's leg was still in a poor state, and her repeated injuries to the throat had done serious damage to her voice. Heins hoped it wasn't permanent. He didn't think he could stand never hearing his wife's clear laughter ringing through the halls again.

"Yes?" Heins said, forcing his voice to remain level and calm, hoping against hope Elsa would not bring up what had just happened.. He had no such luck.

"What's going on, Heins?" she asked, and her voice cracked, causing her to wince once more. "I've never seen you lose your temper quite like that."

"Nothing," he lied.

"Oh, well, I must be mistaken. I know my husband would never _dare_ lie to me," she said, fixing him with a long, even stare. Elsa had had better days; her hair was matted with sweat and dirt, her face was bruised and swollen, and her throat was even more so. Plus, like him, she was wearing her armor, which was battered and bloody, but it would have to do until they could get back to Arendelle and get everything fixed. And yet, her blue eyes shone as bright as ever, boring straight through Heins. He knew there was no getting out of voicing his thoughts.

"Fine," he sighed at last. "C'mere." He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a narrow alley which was quite a lot darker than the larger, but still narrow, street. They walked a short ways into the alley until they found a small recess for the back door of a shop. They stepped into the recess and turned to face one another, now hidden from sight from the endless stream of refugees marching past on the main road. Somewhere nearby, a woman was sobbing.

"I've been…" began Heins, but he broke off. Elsa's face was contorted in pain, but she masked it as soon as she noticed him staring. When it became clear Heins would not speak until Elsa fessed up, she sighed.

"Fine, it's my leg, okay? Mind if we sit?" Heins shook his head and helped his wife sit down, propped up against the side wall of the recess. Heins seated himself opposite her.

"So?" prompted Elsa. "What's going on, Heins?"

Heins did not answer for a long while, during which Elsa's eyes began to wander around their small hiding place, content to let Heins take his time answering.

"I'm angry," he said at last. Elsa started at the sudden noise, it had been several long minutes of silence.

"About what?" she asked.

"Everything."

"That's helpful," she said, her sarcasm clear. "Mind elaborating?"

"I'm angry that we're here. I'm angry that all we can do is tell these people to run away. I'm angry that there are so many that can't run anywhere anymore. I'm angry that…" He broke off.

"Angry that what?" Elsa prodded.

"Angry that there's nothing we can do against the Empire," Heins said. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. To his surprise, Elsa did not look surprised or chastise him for giving up hope. Instead, she gave him a small, humorless smile.

"I know," she said. "We can't win. The Empire is too large, too strong. If it weren't for the Southern Isles, we could beat them on the water. If it weren't for Weselton, we could beat them on land. But we can't." She gave a mirthless chuckle. "Some queen I am. Getting my people slaughtered in a hopeless war they can't possibly win, a thousand miles from home. But at the same time, I can't abandon Corona now. Even if I did, the Empire would still come for Arendelle. And it would fall." Tears were swimming in her eyes, and they seemed to have lost some of their spark. This was a most unexpected turn of events. In a flash, Heins found himself as the one doing the consoling, but he did not begrudge Elsa for it. It appeared that she had been trying to hold this in for a while. Heins considered for some time before speaking.

"Elsa… you are the best, kindest, fairest ruler Arendelle has ever had, and with your father, that's saying something. Your people love you, and they will fight for you. They will follow you to whatever end." This was not the right thing to say, it appeared, and the tears that had been threatening to spill over began to roll down Elsa's face and drop into her lap. She dropped her gaze folded her arms over her stomach.

"That's exactly the problem," she whispered, not looking up. "They have so much faith in me, and I'm betraying their trust by leading them to their deaths."

Heins leaned forward onto his heels and twisted around, falling back to sit next to Elsa. He wrapped his arms around her as she leaned into him, pulling off a glove and wiping her eyes.

"Elsa," he murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head. "That's not the way it works. A queen protects her people, and sometimes, you have to make hard decisions. Do you think your people would have rather stayed and hid, waiting for the Empire to conquer them, or come out and fight?" She did not respond, so Heins pressed on. "I mean, you're making decisions for the best of your people. That's all anyone can expect of you. And they love you for it."

He thought for a few seconds, then continued, a tinge of pride coloring his voice. "And by now, the whole army knows that you fought the magician who would have destroyed our army in single combat- and beat him. If anything should make people have faith in you, it's that. Their queen alone-"

"It wasn't like that," Elsa said, interrupting him, her voice flat. "I didn't beat him. It was something else."

"Elsa, what do you mean… something else?" he asked.

"Something took my sword and made it go into a hole in his armor. Some kind of magic, I guess. I would have died, I should have died. I didn't beat him." This was unpleasant news. Heins tried to find a way to smooth this over, but his brain seemed to have ground to a halt. Instead, he tried a different approach.

"Elsa, who do you think-" He broke off as he heard the patter of little feet coming down the alleyway. Elsa leapt to her feet, letting out a hastily stifled cry of pain as she did so, wiping her face off hurriedly. Heins sprang up with her, feeling it would be inappropriate to be found, King and Queen together, sulking on the ground in a dirty alleyway. But before they could try to slip back to the main street, a blonde young boy, no more than four years old, came into view. He drew up short, stunned by the fact anyone was down this alley, much less their strange appearance in their battered armor. He stood quite still, surveying them with interest. His eyes traveled from Heins's sword up to the sigil on his chest, then across to Elsa's icy details on her armor and down her long braid over her left shoulder, resting next to the sigil on her own chest. His eyes widened with recognition. He held up a finger as though to say "Wait," and took off down the alleyway again.

Elsa and Heins didn't have to wait long. Within seconds he was back, hands clutching something behind his back, eyes fixed on the ground. Without looking at them or making a sound, he brought out his hands from behind his back. In his hand was a small, but beautiful, deep blue tulip, which he was holding out to Elsa. Elsa's eyebrows raised, but she smiled at the boy, leant down, and took the flower, caressing its petals gently with one finger as she straightened back up. She had just opened her mouth to say something when he ran at her, throwing his arms around her legs and hugging her as tight as he could manage. Elsa was at a loss for words, and before she had found her voice, the young boy had released her and bounded off without a backwards glance. After a moment, she brought the flower up to her face and inhaled the aroma. Her eyes were closed, and she was smiling. Heins thought she had never looked so serene in all the time he'd known her. When she looked at him again, her eyes were bright, her face was relaxed, and a lot of the tension and fear that had been threatening to consume her just a few minutes ago seemed to have melted away. Despite the many cuts and bruises covering her face, she looked radiant.

Heins stepped forward and embraced her, resting his cheek on top of her head and stroking her hair.

"See?" he said.


	16. Anna - Great Expectations

Anna was in a very good mood, despite the painful memory of so much death weighing heavy on her heart in her quieter moments. Although she wished she could have brought the people of Arras better news than to tell them to flee, she could not deny that being down among the people, helping everyone she could, was exactly where she belonged. Let Elsa worry about grand schemes and delicate diplomacy- this was her element. She walked with a certain spring in her step, and everywhere she went, she did her best to cheer up the morose faces all around her, and she met with a fair bit of success. Kristoff was walking next to her down the wide, winding cobblestone street, surrounded by low-roofed houses and shops, stopping every few yards to ask if someone needed help packing or organizing, or wrangling their children back into order so they could make sure they had them all. Anna rather liked Arras. It housed about the number of people that Arendelle did, but was much better organized. Stretching as far as the eye could see, the streets ambling lazily around large buildings with a good deal of space between them. Arendelle was not what you'd call cramped, but Arras made it seem like they were packed shoulder to shoulder. The wide open spaces suited Anna perfectly.

Anna knew that her good mood was sure to be short lived, however, as dark thoughts of fields of blood and mutilated bodies kept drifting through her mind. But every time they did, she reached for the ribbon tied around her arm, and it calmed her down. They were safe for now. There was nothing to fear at the moment. She supposed the ribbon had become an anchor of sorts, a real, tangible object she could put all of her fears and worries into, and so far, it had been able to take all that she could throw at it. After her fingers drifted towards it once more, she caught Kristoff glancing sideways at her, frowning. She knew that he disapproved of the ribbon, but she wasn't sure why. Perhaps he saw it as a macabre sort of talisman, but it had turned into much more than that. It gave her strength. Enabled her to carry on, despite the crushing weight on her shoulders and the knot of fear and grief in her stomach. As long as she had the ribbon, she could cope. She did not know what would happen if she didn't have it, but she did know that she did not want to think about it. She didn't even know why it meant so much to her. After all, it hadn't done Caleb much good. In a way, she supposed that by carrying around a physical reminder of her pain and sorrow, it made it easier to feel as though she wasn't forgetting them or dishonoring their memory every time she smiled.

Anna dragged Kristoff to a stop as something caught her eye. She nudged him, pointing. His gaze followed her outstretched arm to Leila and Baldur, working together to help an old widow pack her things.

"What?" he asked, turning back to look at Anna, confusion evident on his face. She laughed, and pointed again. As Kristoff turned, the thing that had caught Anna's eye happened once more. As Leila and Baldur both bent down to pick up a box, their fingers touch for a moment and they froze, glancing at each other and flashing nervous smiles, the tips of their fingers lingering for far too long on each other.

"Hey! You guys need some alone time?" Kristoff shouted. Baldur and Leila jumped so violently that the box tumbled out of their hands, falling to the ground and sending clothing tumbling all over the cobblestone. Their faces were approaching the sort of crimson usually reserved for especially deep sunsets as they scrambled to clean up the mess, avoiding each other's gaze. Anna glared at Kristoff.

"What did you do that for?" she demanded in a hushed tone. "They're uncomfortable enough around each other without you butting in like that! Now they're going to be even more!"

"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it," he replied, not bothering to lower his voice. "And this little 'will-they-won't-they' is getting boring. It's about time they got it through their heads that we know, and we don't care. Besides," he said, dropping his gaze and kicking halfheartedly at a clump of grass twisting from between two stones, "they could use some damn happiness in their lives. The past two years have been dedicated to the Queensguard so much it's like they forgot how to live in the meantime. Elsa's wedding- she told them _explicitly_ to take the night off, and what do they do? Stand guard anyway. They were pretty young when they joined, too- they're missing some good time if they end up together, and even more if they don't."

Anna blinked, surprised and rather touched that Kristoff would care so much. He wasn't usually what she'd call a romantic. "You know," she said, "I think you might be right. They've never once taken a day off duty, did you know that?" Kristoff shook his head. "Even Elsa has more downtime than they do."

"Well, it's now or never for them anyway," he said, in a suddenly cynical voice. "'The rest of their lives' is pretty likely to be pretty short." Anna gaped at him.

"Kristoff, don't say things like that," she scolded, unnerved. "Elsa can get us out of this. She always does." Kristoff looked uncomfortable, running a hand over the back of his neck and not meeting her eyes. "What? She does," Anna insisted. But Kristoff's behavior did not change, and Anna's mind began to head towards a dark place, and her fingers went to the ribbon. _Elsa does always fix everything, she's surely got to have a plan. Okay_ , she admitted, _maybe Corona won't come out unscathed, but Elsa would never let Arendelle fall, no way. She'd do anything for her kingdom. Besides, if she was worried, she'd tell me. I know she would_. Her doubts assuaged, she pulled Kristoff over to Leila and Baldur, and set to gathering up the bundles of clothes.


	17. Elsa - Missing Monarchs

Elsa's first glimpse of the capital city of Corona came a full day before she would reach it. Silas was the first to see it, riding up alongside Elsa and Heins on top of a large hill that towered over the rest of the landscape. He didn't say anything, as was his custom, but merely pointed. It took Elsa a few moments to see what he was pointing at, but at last, she saw it- a tiny speck of gold on the horizon, many miles away still, sandwiched between an endless, sparkling blue lake and a lush green forest. The lake fed a river to the south, which then flowed east to join the sea. It was Elsa's first sight of the castle since she was just a child, before the accident that sealed her away for thirteen years. She remembered very little of her visit, and could not recall any details of the city, and so, when she rounded a bend in the forest the next evening, bringing the city and the castle inside it into view, her mouth fell open. _It's so big!,_ she thought. _And I thought Arendelle was getting big…_ A small pang of jealousy for her cousin's extravagant city shot through Elsa, but she shook it off. There was no point in being petty about stupid things like that. Corona was about twice as old as Arendelle and covered five times the area, of course the capital would be bigger. Besides, she had bigger problems- but still, there was no denying the beauty of the city. Nestled against the sea on a large and sheer cliff, great smooth walls, thirty feet high all the way around, stretching for what seemed like miles, encircled the city in a protective embrace. The walls extended into the sea, running down the cliff at its shallowest and encircling the port as well. Battlements ran the length of them, with turrets jutting up every few hundred yards. The town was constructed so that the castle was right on the edge of the water, with the docks extending from the cliffside beneath it. As cities go, this one would be easy to defend. Hope swelled in Elsa's chest for the first time in days. _We can do this!_

Before long, the gate loomed before her, tall and imposing, and looking quite secure. The gates were very deep, and the wall was at its widest over them. Elsa could see a portcullis and a large set of heavy wood doors behind it, at least twenty feet high. They crossed a bridge over a narrow, but very fast flowing and deep stream. It would not be able to be crossed on foot. Elsa noted with mounting delight that the bridge could be raised, and then they were at the gates. Four guards stood at attention in a line outside the closed portcullis.

"Greetings," Alan said, as they drew to a stop under the shade of the gates. "Presenting Queen Elsa, King Heins of Arendelle, requesting entrance."

"Granted," said the lead guard in a smooth voice. "Open the gates!" he called loudly. The four guards stepped backwards as the great steel portcullis began to open, then moved to flank the entrance hall. The wood doors began to rumble into motion, swinging open faster than Elsa had expected. Spurring her mount forward, she led the way into the city. She emerged from the tunnel into a large square, and let out a sigh of relief. She had been petrified that Rapunzel, in her recent fashion that could politely be called tactical stupidity, would not have told the people of the city to take any precautions, but she ( _or possibly someone more aware of the situation_ , Elsa admitted to herself) evidently had. The many shops that lined the square had become makeshift bunkers, with their windows reinforced with stone and wood, leaving gaps for archers to shoot through. Anyone coming through the main gates would be greeted by a hail of arrows. The many side streets leading from the square had been barricaded with heavy spiked barriers. The whole square was abuzz with activity, with every remaining townsperson hard at work at fortifying the city. Although many of Corona's citizens had elected to journey south and join their countrymen in Arendelle, there was still a shocking number of people in the square. A sideways glance at her husband was all Elsa needed to see that he was as surprised, and impressed, as she was. The people there would not go down without a fight.

Elsa spurred her horse forward, then spun it around to face her Queensguard, Heins at her side. "It's been a long few days," she said, and she could tell her face betrayed her own weariness. "And it's time for a well deserved break."

"We're fine, Your Majesty," protested Cari, her eyes bleary and unfocused.

"No, you're not," Elsa said kindly. "But it's okay. Get some rest, meet me in the castle throne room in-" she checked the sun's progress across the deep blue sky shot through with streaks of brilliant orange "- an hour and a half, to go over the plan for the next few days, I should have one by then. Rapunzel will be here by now, Reinberg finished evacuating two days ago. There are rooms in the castle ready for you all. Dismissed." None of them moved.

"But, Your Majesty," began Alan after a moment. "What of your own state? You look as tired as any of us."

"That I am," Elsa agreed. "But there's no danger here. I do not need you at my side, I still have business to attend to, and I want you to recover while you can. I need you at your best, and there's no sense tiring you further while there is nothing to gain but to share in my discomfort. Now, go get some rest." They seemed to recognize the truth in these words, and it was with mingled hesitation and relief that they turned and cantered down an unblocked side street towards the castle and out of sight.

"I want to see the rest of the town before we head to the castle," said Heins, gesturing vaguely around the square.

"Good idea," Elsa agreed. "You've never been here, have you?" Heins shook his head, nudging his horse forward in a slow walk. Elsa followed. "I haven't been in years, I don't remember it much." They steered their mounts up the main road. The city was shaped like a great horseshoe, with the castle in the middle of the half-circle and the town ringing outside. The main road stretched from the cliffs on the lake, around the town halfway between the walls and the castle, and back to the cliffs on the other side, sending out a snaking tendril halfway along that led to the main gate. Everywhere they looked, they saw evidence of the coming war. Makeshift barricades were set up at every intersection, allowing the grid-like streets to be controlled and well defended at every stage of the battle. Elsa saw children leaping from rooftop to rooftop, placing bows and packed quivers every few houses. Some balconies had great barrels and unlit torches, and Elsa assumed the barrels were full of oil.

"You know what?" Heins asked, and Elsa was startled to see him grinning.

"What?"

"We might just pull this off." Seeing that Elsa was unconvinced, he laughed. "Look around. What's the difference between here and the Plains?"

"Umm… we're in a city?" Elsa guessed, seeming a little bewildered.

Heins laughed again. "Nothing gets by you, does it? No… we're in their _home_. Their families are here, their children are here. Arendelle's never been attacked, has it?" Elsa shook her head. "Well, here's hoping it never is. But the Southern Isles has been. You'll never find fiercer fighters than those fighting in their own streets, I promise you that."

"I don't know…" Elsa mused. "I am impressed with how prepared they are after the, um… _fiasco_ at the Plains." They ducked to go beneath a low hanging sign. "Speaking of, we should probably get to the castle and talk to Rapunzel." Elsa nudged her horse with her heels, sending him cantering forward down the street towards the large, spectacular castle.

The castle had a separate moat and bridge from the rest of the town, but other than that, it was very similar, if a little larger, than Arendelle's. The walls loomed over them as Elsa and Heins crossed the bridge and passed through the open doors into a large courtyard. Several stablehands were waiting for them.

"Yer Queensguard told us yeh'd be comin'," one said in a thick accent. "We'll take the 'orses." Elsa and Heins dismounted and relinquished their steeds, then walked up the sloping lawn towards the castle. The great wooden doors were ajar, and they squeezed through the gap, then frowned. The entrance hall, an enormous chamber with doors all around the perimeter. A grand marble staircase rose in front of them, leading to a pair of ornate golden doors, behind which lay the throne room. Small staircases on either side led to the balconies, which ringed the rest of the hall, containing even more doors. All of them were shut, and Elsa and Heins heard not a sound.

"Hello?" Elsa called, her voice reverberating around the high-ceilinged chamber. There was no response. She glanced at Heins, who shrugged. His hand drifted towards Voda, just in case, and Elsa rested her palm on Frost's hilt. They strode forward and climbed the marble staircase, their footfalls echoing, magnified. Heins pushed on the throne room door, which swung open at once on well-oiled hinges. There was no one in here either. The throne sat empty in front of large stained glass windows, and decorative pillars lined the walls. A sense of dread was gnawing at Elsa's insides. Neither Heins nor Elsa spoke as they crept over to the door behind and to the right of the throne and pushed it open. A large table in the middle of the round room was covered in notes and maps, but there was not a soul to be seen.

A loud crash reverberated from the entrance hall. Fear flooded Elsa at once, but she bounded back out of the side room, tearing Frost from her hip, and sprinted across the throne room to the golden doors. Heins was inches behind her as she burst through the doors, eyes darting side to side, scanning for the enemies that were surely pouring in, even now, coming to kill her, kill her husband, her whole family- but all she saw was Anna, hopping on the spot and looking very annoyed, rubbing her right foot. A large vase lay smashed on the floor, spilling dirt and flowers all over the polished floor. Silas, Cari, and Leila already had their bows drawn from the balcony, the door they had burst out of swinging around on smooth hinges, and Alan, Baldur, and Liam were brandishing their swords. All six of them were still in their bedclothes, and lowered their weapons when they saw Anna, but they continued to gaze around, still wary.

"Anna!" Elsa cried, relieved, sheathing Frost. The icy hand that had clenched her heart was loosening its grip.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Anna wailed, still clutching her foot. "It was an accident! _Man_ that hurt!" She tested her weight on her foot and winced, but took a few steps forward. Glancing at the top of the stairs for the first time, her eyes swept over Elsa, then Heins, then around the room. Her brow furrowed. "Where is everybody?"

"Not sure," said Heins. "We were wondering the same." He turned his gaze to the Queensguard. "Did you guys see anyone when you arrived?"

"Just the steward that showed us to our rooms," answered Alan. "We went straight there, I just assumed everyone else wasn't on the way."

The icy hand was clawing at Elsa's heart again, the soft beginnings of worry. _Where is Rapunzel?_ Elsa thought. _She should already be here. Was she attacked on the way? But we would have seen, we passed just by Reinberg on our way here, our paths must have crossed_. Trying hard to conceal her fears from the rest, she forced her voice to remain calm as she dismissed the Queensguard and told them not to worry, and to go back to bed. To her relief, they obeyed without too much hassle. A significant look to Anna was all it took for her to hurry up the stairs to where Elsa and Heins still stood in front of the majestic golden doors.

"Shouldn't Rapunzel be here by now?" Anna asked.

"Yep," said Heins. "Reinberg's less than a day away, even with an army. What now?" he asked Elsa, who sighed.

"We wait. What else can we do?" And she sat down right where she was on the marble steps. After a moment, Anna and Heins joined her. "Where's Kristoff?"

"Looking at the city, he's never been here before."

"What, you didn't want to see it too?" asked Heins, but Elsa was already shaking her head.

"Heins, when I was… away-"

"Hiding in your room, you mean," Anna corrected.

"Well, yeah… Anyway, Anna used to come here quite often to see Rapunzel. Mother and Father didn't want to force me to leave my room, but they didn't want Anna to be completely alone _all_ the time. So they'd send her here about once a month or so for a few days." Anna had a look of reminiscent pleasure on her face, deep in memory, reliving some of the more jovial times.

"We used to get in so much trouble," Anna giggled. "Sneaking around the castle at night, going up to the towers and throwing stuff off them, going into the kitchens to try to steal extra desserts…"

"You little troublemaker," Heins said, grinning. Anna shrugged. The castle doors swung open, and Kristoff stepped through. His eyes darted over Heins, Elsa, and Anna, then fell on the smashed vase.

"Anna…" he groaned.

"Why do you assume it's me?"

"Was it?"

"Yes."

"That's why. Hey Heins, Elsa. Where's Rapunzel?"

"Not here yet," Elsa said. A look of concern crossed Kristoff's face.

"Where's Gareth? He could find her."

"Out tracking the movements of the Empire," Heins answered.

"Well then," said Kristoff. "I'll be back later." With that, he turned and strode out the door. It was a few seconds before any of them could process what he meant, and by the time Anna leapt to her feet and ran to the door, Kristoff had already disappeared out of the gates of the castle on his steed.

It was several hours before Kristoff returned, and the sun had fully set. Elsa, Anna, Heins, and the Queensguard were waiting in the map room, the Queensguard having risen from their breaks some time ago. Elsa was pacing in the back of the room, Anna was slumped against the wall, fidgeting with her ribbon, and Heins was seated at the table, staring off into space. The Queensguard was milling in the corner. They were all startled out of their revery as the door flew open and Kristoff trudged in, looking exhausted and dejected.

"I didn't find anything," he said, before any of them had so much as opened their mouths. He flopped down into a chair opposite Heins before continuing. Anna did not stir from her place on the wall to greet her husband, as would be her custom, but remained where she was, looking thoughtful. "I made it all the way to Reinberg, and it's deserted. But there's no sign of Rapunzel anywhere. I did bump into a few of our advance scouts though. Told me our army should get here to the city tomorrow afternoon, about two days ahead of the Empire."

"Doesn't give us too much time," Alan said with a frown. "Especially without Queen Rapunzel." He turned to Elsa. "Your orders, Your Majesty?"

Elsa took a moment to answer, then sighed. "I don't know. Without Rapunzel, we can't do much in the way of planning."

"Plus, General Raston won't even arrive until tomorrow, and he knows how to defend a city better than anyone," said Baldur from the corner.

"The queen's not likely to arrive tonight," said Liam. "With respect, Your Majesty, I don't think there's much more we can do tonight."

"I agree," said Cari. "Perhaps we should just wait for now. If Rapunzel gets here tomorrow, great. If not, the army will, so we can plan then with General Raston. We'll still have two days before the Empire arrives." There was a general murmur of assent from the Queensguard. Elsa glanced around at Heins, Kristoff, and Anna, and it was clear from their faces they couldn't see much more to do than Cari did.

"Very well. Everyone is dismissed. We'll speak first thing in the morning, back in here." The Queensguard filed out of the room, followed by Kristoff and Anna. As Elsa led the way to her and Heins's temporary quarters, a deep sense of foreboding filled her. The deserted castle felt like a bad omen. Where on earth was Rapunzel?


	18. Kristoff - The Darkness Rising

Kristoff didn't think he had ever ridden as far or as hard as he had just done. The trip from Arras was long enough without then riding out to Reinberg within hours, but he had needed to take the trip. Without Rapunzel, there was no one to rally the people of Corona. Corona and Arendelle were allies, but trying to lead Corona without Rapunzel was something he didn't want to consider. It took no time at all for Kristoff to fall into a deep, dreamless slumber.

WHAM!

Kristoff's eyes flew open as the door to their room bounced off the wall, and a stream of black-garbed figures rushed inside. Beside him, Anna was looking around in a blind panic, and one of the figures grabbed her by the arm and wrenched her out of the bed, sending her crashing to the floor. Kristoff roared in fury and sprang out of bed. Two of the black figures were ready for him by the time his feet touched the carpet, and they charged him at the same time. Kristoff was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, the breath whooshing out of him, then another figure was there, and swung a short club at his head. The club collided with Kristoff's left temple, and he collapsed, dazed. He was aware of being forced to his knees, then a black hood was jammed over his head. He felt Anna struggling with her captor, then there was the thud of a fist on flesh. Anna let out a squeal of pain. Kristoff struggled against the men holding him, but it was weak, he was still just too dizzy. The ground felt unsteady beneath his feet, compounded by his lack of vision. His arms were forced behind his back and bound together with what felt like a very rough rope.

Next thing he knew, he was being shoved forward, out the door, and down the hall. Kristoff's senses had returned somewhat, and he could sort of tell where they were headed. Yes, here were the stairs- they were heading for the throne room. The doors must already have been open, because he felt the air around him change- they had entered the room. They proceeded about halfway down, then two swift kicks to the back of Kristoff's legs sent him to his knees. The hood was ripped off, and Kristoff blinked. The sun was streaming through the windows behind the throne, straight into Kristoff's eyes. Glancing to his left, he saw Anna, a swelling cut lip and a black eye marring her face, kneeling as he was. To his right, he saw Elsa, bound, beaten, and bruised, and beyond her, Heins, in a similar condition. While three of them had only a single soldier restraining them, Heins alone had four naked blades resting against his bare neck, and Kristoff knew they were to keep Elsa from using her powers. His eyes having adjusted, Kristoff looked forwards, and saw, to his shock, Rapunzel, standing unguarded and unrestrained ten feet from them. Her expression was neutral, and she did not look any of them in the eye. Before any of the prisoners could do more than gape in surprise, a smooth, silky voice issued from a man slouching on the throne.

"Ah, my friends…" Hans's voice filled Kristoff with a cold, raging fury, and he strained against his bonds, which, to his great surprise, gave a little. Hans rose from the throne and moved toward them. He was dressed in what might have been seen on any noble, with elaborate needlework on the breast and tassels from his shoulders, but everything on him was a bright white, so white it seemed to glow in the morning sun. A long white cloak trailed on the ground behind him. White gloves covered his hands, and knee-high white leather boots were on his feet. The only things on him that weren't stark white was his face and his shock of red hair. The effect was quite unnerving. "It's so _wonderful_ to see you again."

"I most humbly beg your pardon, Your Majesty," he continued, inclining his head towards Elsa in an approximation of a respectful bow. "I fear my men may have been a little enthusiastic in bringing you to me. You see, I was ever so eager to see you again." Kristoff was speechless, and so, it seemed, were the rest of them. The last time they had met, Hans had been ranting, raving, positively mad- but Hans was speaking now as though they were old friends who had always arranged to meet here, and there was trouble in the arrangements.

"I have to also extend my deepest gratitude towards dear Rapunzel here. This little get-together might never have happened if not for her wonderful and generous support." He reached out a black gloved hand and stroked her cheek. Rapunzel did not move, but the thin lines of her face tautened. "You see," he went on. "I do not wish to harm you. I'm really not the bad guy here, despite what you all think. No, really," he added at their expressions. Kristoff glanced over to see his own look of fury mirrored on Elsa and Heins's faces, but Anna was staring at Rapunzel, tears welling in her eyes, looking devastated.

"I'm just claiming my birthright. I deeply regret that I was forced to resort to violence, but after all, it is the _station_ of one's birth that determines their fate, is it not? Not the order in which they were born. I was as fit to rule as any of my brothers, was I not? As are you, brother," he added, smiling at Heins. "You see, after our terribly regrettable last meeting, I realized something. I was obsessed with gaining the throne in Arendelle I so rashly tried to usurp so many years ago. I had always intended to gain the throne peacefully, and I would have ruled with a kind hand, but I fear my obsession led me down a different path. I now realize that the only way to true, lasting peace, is to cast down the petty divides that separate us from one another, and unite, in one, grand Empire!"

"You're insane!" Heins shouted at his brother. The swords at his throat cut into his neck, but he either didn't notice or didn't care.

"On the contrary, brother, I see more clearly than ever before! Nor am I unkind or unfair. It would be folly to completely eliminate the kingdoms around us. Did you not know that I allowed Weselton to exist as a firm and close ally? I do not wish to destroy, only to unite and build. Therefore, I offer you a chance to join me. Swear fealty to me, here and now, and I give you my word that you will live. Your men will not be harmed, and you will be allowed to return to Arendelle and rule as you see fit, save for the laws I myself pass from the Island Throne."

"Go to hell," Heins spat. "Elsa!" Without a moment's hesitation, Elsa shot several dart sized spikes at Hans's throat. They flew towards Hans, and Kristoff's heart leapt- but then they shattered in midair, twisting into nothingness and fading from sight. Kristoff's mouth fell open. Hans gave no indication of even noticing the attack, nor did the men holding Heins move. On the contrary, they seemed to have been expecting this. They were there only for show. Rapunzel's eyes were wide and fearful, and she was staring at Hans.

Hans sighed. "Pity," he said. He directed his gaze at Elsa. At once, Kristoff felt an incredible _presence_ surge just to his right, and Elsa was thrown backwards towards the wall, smashed into it, and crumpled to the ground, unmoving save for tiny, slow breaths. Blood oozed out from under her blonde hair. Kristoff and Heins roared with rage, and Anna screamed. Rapunzel clapped her hands to her mouth and started to cry. Hans strode past the three prisoners still kneeling on the floor and past the feebly stirring Elsa. He paused at the door, then turned around.

"Kill them," he said, in a voice as casual as if he was doing no more than bidding them good day. Rapunzel let out a shout of shock, the first sound she had made all night.

"You swore you wouldn't kill them!" she cried, wringing her hands.

"Circumstances change," Hans said. "Would you like to join them?" Rapunzel didn't speak. "I thought not. Now if you'll excuse me. I have business to attend to." With a swish of his cloak, he turned on his heel and swept out of the throne room.

The two guards seized Heins under the arms and dragged him forward. They brought him to the center of the room, and forced him to his knees in the very middle of the enormous Corona Sun etched into the spotless marble floor. A third man drew a broadsword from his back, and the fourth kicked a wooden stool out in front of Hans. The two holding him forced him onto it, so that his chest and head protruded over the edge. Anna was crying, begging, pleading for mercy, Heins was fighting with all his strength against the cruel hands clamped on his shoulders and back, Kristoff was shouting and pulling at the ropes binding his hands, and Rapunzel was staring in horror, unmoving. The great broadsword rose, it's edge gleaming.

"NO!" Elsa struggled to sit upright, and her scream reverberated around the glimmering throne room, full of pain and rage. The sound seemed to stir Rapunzel. As the broadsword began its fatal descent, Rapunzel jumped forward. She slammed into the executioner as hard as she could. The executioner was too big for her to have much of an effect, but it was enough to throw off his aim. The blade slammed into the floor. It was all the distraction they needed, and many things happened all at once. With a savage shout, Kristoff wrenched on the weakened ropes binding his hands, and with a stabbing pain in both shoulders, they snapped in two. Whirling around, he punched his guard in the jaw before his sword had left its sheath, knocking him off his feet. Beside him, Anna had thrown herself forward, landing hard facedown on the floor, and before her guard could react, she flipped over and kicked her guard between the legs, who fell to his knees, groaning in pain. Heins took advantage of the confusion by slamming the back of his head into one of his captor's faces, shattering his nose and sending him reeling. He twisted around, breaking the other man's grip, and kicked the broken nosed man in the knee, hard. The man's knee inverted, and he collapsed, howling in pain. Heins backed away from the other guard, keeping a wary eye on his blade.

Elsa was up now, unsteady on her feet, but moving, sending ice out in deadly flurries. None of the ice got close; the guards were protected somehow, and the ice couldn't get more than a few feet close to them before hitting some sort of invisible barrier. She swore and began to run forward, her arms still bound- Kristoff was the only one who had managed to break the ropes. Behind Kristoff, Rapunzel was in trouble. The executioner and another guard were advancing on the unarmed queen with weapons drawn.

The guard Kristoff had punched was stirring. He was just going for his sword when Kristoff's boot crushed his windpipe. The guard's eyes went wide and he clawed at his throat, digging bloody gouges into his neck with each pass. Kristoff yanked the guard's sword the rest of the way out of its sheath and straightened up, just as Elsa skidded to a stop in front of him. She spun around, and Kristoff slashed at the ropes binding her wrists, which fell apart. With one stroke, Kristoff whirled around and cleaved the head off of Anna's guard, who was kneeling, clutching himself. He bent down and freed Anna, who seized her own guard's sword. Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff straightened up and faced the front of the room.

No one seemed to have noticed yet that Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa were all free. Rapunzel was running for her life, ducking behind pillars when she could, trying to stay out of the range of her pursuers. It was clear they would catch up to her in mere seconds. Heins had so far been able to duck and weave out of range of the blade stabbing and slashing at him, but as Kristoff watched, horrorstruck, Heins's back hit a wall and his eyes widened. The guard shouted in triumph and raised his blade above his head.

It was as if they had rehearsed it. Kristoff would later realize that the endless sparring and vicious battles of the previous few days had taught him everything he needed to know about the situation- who would rescue who, and how. Elsa raised her hand, conjured an icicle, and sent it rocketing towards Heins. It knocked the guard's blade out of its descent, and once again, the blade missed a fatal blow by inches, though it did score a long gash down Heins's left arm. Anna was already moving, sprinting towards Heins. She lunged forward, and drove her blade with all her might into the guards side. It erupted in a geyser of deep crimson on the other side of him, and he fell to the ground without a sound. Meanwhile, Kristoff had already reached the two guards chasing Rapunzel. He seized one around the waist without breaking stride, then spun around and hurled him like a discus, using his own weight and momentum to fuel the throw. The guard soared through the air and collided with his comrade. They fell, hard, one on top of the other, the executioner's broadsword leaving its owner's grip and skittering across the floor. Kristoff grabbed it, reversed his grip, and plunged it straight through both guards, stopping only when he heard the muffled _clink_ of steel on marble. They twitched for a few seconds, then lay still. Everything was still. The marble floor was slick with blood, and all that could be heard was Rapunzel's ragged, panicked breathing.

Quick footsteps sounded out behind Kristoff. He turned around to find Elsa striding towards Rapunzel, a look of pure hatred shining from her pale face, the blood still trickling from the wound on her head, shining bright crimson next to her icy blue eyes.

"What the _HELL_ ," she screamed, grabbing Rapunzel by the throat and slamming her against a pillar, "is the matter with you?"

"E-Elsa," she choked. Elsa's fingers tightened, digging into Rapunzel's neck. No one else moved. Even Anna was looking with disgust at her cousin, her eyes hard. "I'm- sorr-"

"You're _SORRY?_ " Elsa shrieked, beside herself with rage. "You sold us out! We came here to help you, and you dare betray us? You nearly got all of us killed!" Her fingers tightened even more, and Rapunzel was choking, clawing at the back of Elsa's hand.

"P-p-please," Rapunzel stammered. She was starting to turn blue. Elsa continued for another moment, then released her grip. Rapunzel collapsed to her knees, clutching her throat and coughing hard. Elsa turned around and paced back and forth across the blood now spreading in pools across the floor, breathing hard and leaving bloody prints in her wake. Anna crossed over to Kristoff and snuck under his arm, and he pulled her close.

"What now?" asked Heins, after a minute's silence. "If Hans is here, then surely his army is-"

"It's not," Rapunzel croaked, her voice barely more than a whisper. She rose to her feet on unsteady legs. "It was just Hans. Hans and a few dozen men."

"Oh, that's _sooo_ much better," Elsa spat at her cousin, but Kristoff spoke over her.

"We need to get out. Now. We have to get the Queensguard, if they're still alive-"

Rapunzel interrupted again. "They are. This was just for you. That's why they were given rooms so far from yours."

"We need to-"

"Why did you do it, Rapunzel?" Anna burst out, every syllable trembling with anger. "We were friends. You betrayed us. You almost killed us…" Her voice faded away as the anger mixed with despair.

"I… he swore to me no one would get hurt… he said he'd let you all go back to Arendelle in peace…"

"And you believed that?" Elsa asked, incredulous. "After what he's done? After what he did to his own family?" Heins stiffened, but Elsa didn't seem to notice. "Are you that naive?"

"I- I didn't know what else to-"

"You fight!" Kristoff roared, breaking his silence. "You fight to the last man rather than give up your freedom, much less betray your allies- YOUR FAMILY!"

"I'm… sorry," she said, breaking down into sobs which racked her whole body. "I didn't mean for any of this! I was just trying to-"

"Protect your people, at the cost of ours," Elsa spat.

"No!" Rapunzel said, her voice breaking halfway through the word. "Never that! I know I made a mistake, I know I should never have done it. But I swear I'll make it right. I swear-"

"Stop. It won't matter why Rapunzel did what she did if we don't get out of here, now," said Heins. Elsa looked mutinous, but didn't say anything. "Rapunzel, you know where the Queensguard is. Lead us to them. Now." Rapunzel nodded, a determined look on her face, and hurried towards the throne room door, peeking out. As they followed, Kristoff wasn't sure what to feel. He was positive that Rapunzel hadn't meant for anything to happen to them, but still, to be so stupid as to trust Hans… plus there was the simple fact that well-intentioned betrayal was still betrayal. If she wanted to surrender, she should have told Arendelle that, so they could react appropriately- _namely,_ Kristoff thought, _tell her to stuff it_ -, and that would have been that. But to betray not only Arendelle, but her own people, who had sacrificed and prepared so much to fight, sure their Queen would stand with them, protecting their homes… it was despicable.

They pushed open the throne room doors, and Rapunzel poked her head through, glancing side to side. "I don't see anyone," she whispered. Kristoff pulled the throne room doors shut, so no one would be able to look in from the entrance hall and see the remnants of the executioners. Then Rapunzel led them up the stairs to the left, through the third door, and down a moon-lit passageway. About halfway down, voices drifted towards them from around the corner ahead.

"What's in here?" Kristoff hissed, pointing at a door. Rapunzel shook her head and mouthed the word "Nothing". They piled into the room, which turned out to be a small study, with a wooden desk in the corner, with an open book and a very low burning candle upon it. Kristoff pulled the door almost all the way shut, but left a tiny crack to peer through. The voices grew louder, and two of Hans's men walked past them. It only took a glance and a nod for Heins to understand. Kristoff held up three fingers, then lowered them one at a time. On the last one, Kristoff threw the door open and jumped out, Heins right behind him. They killed the men before either of them could even cry out. They dragged the bodies into the room and armed themselves with their weapons. Now all five of them had blades.

"I'll lead," Rapunzel said, her voice still hoarse, but tinged with resolution. "I know the castle better." Elsa still looked angry, but didn't protest as Rapunzel crossed in front of all of them and pulled open the door. Her eyes darted from side to side, then she hurried off down the hall.

 _It's no wonder they didn't hear any of this,_ Kristoff thought as he brought up the rear, one eye on the corridor behind them. _This place is way bigger than it looks_. He was glancing back when Rapunzel stopped, so he almost trampled Anna.

"What is it?" he whispered. Rapunzel put a finger to her lips, then pointed at her ear. Kristoff strained to listen. Soft footsteps could be heard from the door to their left. Rapunzel glanced around, getting her bearings in the moonlight.

"That's a bedroom. Knock on the door in ten seconds," Rapunzel whispered. She shrank back against the wall and was enveloped by shadow- then, all of a sudden, she was gone. Anna walked forward, raising her hand to knock. Elsa caught it.

"Are you crazy?" Elsa murmured.

"Trust me," Anna replied, then rapped on the door. The footsteps paused, then approached the door. The handle had just begun to turn when there was a sound of a blade cutting through flesh, a horrible choking noise, then a thud of a body hitting the floor. After a few seconds, the door swung open to reveal Rapunzel, bloody but unharmed. The bedroom looked like a mess, the soldier bleeding out on the floor must have been ransacking it, probably looking for something valuable. A piece of the wall behind the bed was open like a door, revealing a pitch black passageway behind it.

"This is how we got up to so much trouble when I was here," Anna explained, in answer to the other's questioning looks. "Look." She crossed to the section of wall that Rapunzel had seemed to melt through, and kicked it. The wall swung open. revealing a narrow passage.

"Do these run through the whole castle?" Elsa asked, so surprised that she forgot to look angry at Rapunzel.

"No," Rapunzel replied. "About half. But it just so happens that all your guards can be reached from this passage."

"That seems… convenient," Heins said, suspicious.

"I arranged it that way," Rapunzel said, a bitter smile twisting her lips. "I'm not completely stupid. I know I screwed up. But I did try to make some arrangements. Nothing was supposed to happen tonight. I had an exit plan for you if negotiations fell through. I see now how foolish I was to think it'd make it that far, but even then, I didn't think he'd try to _kill_ you all. How can he hope to rule so much land without people to govern the individual kingdoms?"

"You forget," Heins said. "Hans and I are not the only brothers left. My bet is he promised each of them a kingdom for their help. Three brothers, three kingdoms, and Hans, ruling over all of it from the Southern Isles."

Elsa considered this a moment, then said, "It makes sense. Nice and neat, and explains a lot. Plus eliminates the need for us."

"But he offered to let us live," said Anna. But even as she said it, she seemed to realize how stupid it was, and chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Yeah, Anna, that's gonna happen."

"When you've all finished…" Kristoff said, gesturing towards the open passageway.

"Kristoff's right," said Heins. "We've lingered too long. Lead the way, Rapunzel."

The passage was narrow, short, and pitch black. Kristoff was forced to walk bent double, hanging on to Anna to make sure they stayed together, and even then, his head kept bumping into protruding overhangs. They hadn't been moving long, Rapunzel in the lead, followed by Heins, Elsa, and Anna, with Kristoff in the rear, when Rapunzel halted.

"This is one of the rooms. Leila's, I think," she whispered. Kristoff heard her move to open the hidden door, then the sound of someone being pushed out of the way.

"Let me go first," Elsa hissed at Rapunzel. A short shuffling movement later, dim light flooded the passageway from the lone candle burning on a desk in the corner of the bedroom. Kristoff could just make out Elsa's slender shadow creep towards the bed, then halted, as though surprised. She beckoned to Heins, who followed her out of the passage. Kristoff heard a brief scuffle, some indistinct whispers, then the padding of feet back towards the hidden door. Elsa came back in first, then Heins, followed by Baldur, then Leila. Even in the dim light of the passage, Kristoff could tell that both of them were blushing deep red. Kristoff chuckled to himself, despite the seriousness of the situation.

It didn't take long to gather the rest of the Queensguard. Alan was the last to be collected, and it was in his bedroom that discussed their next move. The window outside was pitch black.

"Now what?" Anna asked Elsa in a low voice. "Are there any more of our people in the castle? Or in the town?"

"No," answered Rapunzel. "No, it was just you guys tonight."

Elsa looked thoughtful, then said, "Where is our stuff? Our armor and weapons? I don't remember it being in my room when we were woken up." Kristoff hadn't noticed if his was still in his own room, but he had to respect Elsa's observation- she was much better at that sort of thing than he was.

Kristoff opened his mouth to say maybe they should check the armory in the dungeons when Alan clamped a hand over Kristoff's mouth with his head cocked, listening hard. Kristoff strained his ears and could just barely hear raised voices drifting down the hallway towards them, growing louder by the second.

"They know," Rapunzel whispered. "They must have realized something's wrong." A loud crash reverberated down the hall.

"What was that?" asked Anna in a quiet voice, which Kristoff was proud to note was rock-steady. Another crash.

"They're searching the rooms, sounds like," said Liam. "And from the sound of it, they're not far off from this one."

"What do we do?" asked Rapunzel, her voice shaking. "Back into the tunnel?" But everyone in the room apart from Rapunzel was forming around the door, the ones with swords in front.

 **CRASH.** _One… two… three… four… five… six… seven… eight-_ **CRASH.** _One… two… three… four… five… six… seven... eight-_ **CRASH.** _One… two… three… four… five… six… seven…_

"NOW!" Kristoff shouted, and he and Heins flung themselves at the door, sending it slamming outwards off its hinges. The unlucky soldier behind it caught it full in the face, splitting his forehead open and sending him flying backwards, where he lay motionless on the ground. Two more soldiers ran forward, swords flashing. Kristoff and Heins dueled one soldier each, and in just a few short seconds, two more bodies lie on the floor. Leila and Baldur snatched up the fallen soldier's blades, while Alan went to the one who had been hit by the door. Another shout floated down the hall. Turning, Kristoff saw a dozen soldiers sprinting around the corner towards them, just a hundred feet away. Although eight of them now had blades, Kristoff knew that more soldiers would arrive soon.

"RUN!" Kristoff yelled, and he grabbed Anna's hand, pulling her around and tearing down the hallway. They made a few quick turns, and the footsteps of their pursuers had started to die away when a flash of white from an ajar door made Kristoff draw up short. Anna ran straight into the back of him, almost falling before Liam caught her. Kristoff held up a hand to tell the others to wait, then crept towards the door. He peered through the crack in the door.

"It's in here!" he whispered, pushing the door open a bit further. The Queensguard armor lay in a jumbled pile in the corner of the room, which looked to be some sort of reading room. A comfy looking chair was visible through the tangled armor. Some of the armor was separate from the rest. It appeared some of the soldiers had been trying it on. They all piled into the room and pulled the door shut behind them.

"Gear up, quickly," Elsa hissed. It took about a minute to sort through the armor and determine whose was whose. A few minutes later, the ten of them were dressed in their armor, still battered and dirty from the battle on the Plains, but a lot better than their discarded bedclothes, which now occupied the chair in the corner. Kristoff's fingers curled around Avling's hilt, rejoicing at the reunion between hand and sword.

"Where to?" asked Liam.

"The docks," answered Silas, surprising Kristoff as he always did when he chose to speak. So much time passed between sentences, it was almost like a stranger's voice every time. "We can take a boat out of the docks and around to the shore, then meet up with the rest of our forces outside. Hans's men are limited, they will not have been able to take our army. Although we will not be able to use this passage anymore. We will have to cross the entrance hall." There was a quiet murmur of assent and understanding throughout the group.

"Time to go," whispered Heins. "We've been here too long." He crept to the door and eased it open, peering through the crack. "Let's go," he said, leading the way out of the room.

They crept down a few halls, stopping every dozen or so yards to strain their ears for any hint of movement, but there was no sound save for their own soft breathing and quick footfalls. To get to the docks, they had to go clear across the castle, through the entrance hall. Heins and Kristoff led the way, guided by whispered instructions from Anna, just behind, who remembered the layout much better than Kristoff would have believed. Elsa and Silas were behind Anna, then came Leila, Baldur, and Liam. Alan and Cari were next, then Rapunzel, who was following along as though she felt she didn't deserve to be there. Kristoff wasn't so sure she did.

"Stop," Heins whispered, raising a fist in the air so the people in back could see. "Listen…" Soft footsteps were coming towards them. Two soldiers came into view from a corner ahead. Before anyone could react, they turned on their heels and sprinted back the way they had come, shouting for reinforcements. "That can't be good. Hurry it up!" The group broke into a run, covering the rest of the hallway in seconds and bursting through a door at the end, which led them back into the entrance hall, on the second floor.

"This way!" Anna shouted, all stealth forgotten. The Empire would be on them in seconds. They crashed along the balcony and down the stairs, past the open throne room doors, and up the other stairs.

 _Wait a minute… I closed those doors_ …

Kristoff whirled around. Everyone was past the doors, except Rapunzel, who was still on the other side, feet from the shaft of light streaming from the flickering torches in the throne room.

"Rapunzel!" Kristoff shouted. "Don't-!" But it was too late. As she tried in vain to slow her momentum, a hand clad in ornate black shot from the doorway and seized her arm. The next moment, Rapunzel was pinned against Hans, his knife at her neck, framed in the enormous doorway. Thirty soldiers stood behind him in the throne room, unmoving. As a matter of fact, no one was moving. It felt like no one was even breathing. Rapunzel's eyes were wide and terrified, Hans's calm, with an almost sorrowful look to them.

With an apologetic grin, Hans drew his knife across Rapunzel's throat. The shining steel bit deep, sending a wide torrent of crimson down Rapunzel's nightdress. Her hands scrabbled at her neck, desperately trying to stem the flow of her life spilling onto the ground and splashing over Hans's boots. But, gradually, her hands slowed, stopped, and fell, her eyes grew dim and unfocused. Elsa and Anna were screaming, Heins was shouting, Liam, Leila, and Baldur didn't seem capable of speech, Cari and Silas were drawing their bows, and Kristoff just stared, not able to comprehend what he was seeing. Hans dropped Rapunzel, who crumpled to the floor and landed, her eyes now blank and unseeing, in a pool of her own blood still spreading across the marble floor. Two arrows flew at Hans, but stopped dead in midair a foot from him and hovered there. None of his troops moved. They seemed to know Hans was immune to such petty attacks, with whatever strange power he now possessed protecting him.

"I regret it, you know," Hans said in an apologetic voice, looking down at Rapunzel. With a glance and a tiny hand gesture, Hans sent the two arrows flying towards Alan and Liam, who only just managed to duck in time, the feathers of the arrow brushing the tops of their heads. Another gesture recalled them to Hans's side, and he favored Elsa with an appraising look. "It's a pity. You should have taken my offer. This wasn't supposed to happen." He shot the arrows again, this time at Kristoff and Cari, who avoided them by inches. Despite Hans's somber tone, he seemed to be rather enjoying himself.

"RUN!" Alan yelled, ducking to avoid yet another arrow shot from Hans, who was now laughing. But no one moved. Kristoff tried to turn and run, but it was like his lower legs were stuck in quicksand. No matter how hard he tried, he could not move his feet. A quick look was all he needed to see the rest of them were confined the same way

The two arrows fell to the floor with a clatter. Hans looked up at them all, the corners of his mouth twisted in a cruel smirk, then turned and began to climb the stairs towards them. Kristoff realized that the constricting feeling had spread. He could no longer move any of his limbs even the slightest amount. He tried to speak, and found that he could not. Hans reached Elsa, who was closest, and paused just in front of her.

"I had forgotten," he said in a low voice, reaching out to caress Elsa's cheek with his gloved hand, who could not move to avoid it, "how beautiful you were." His hand left a trail of blood smeared across Elsa's face, the bright red of Rapunzel's blood mixing with the darker, drier blood still caking her face. He glanced at Heins. "I see how she ensnared you so, brother." With a flicking motion, he brought his knife up to Elsa's jaw, drawing the tip ever so softly across her neck, staining it with more of Rapunzel's blood. "It would be so easy to kill you, here, and now." Elsa's eyes bored into Hans's, burning with rage and hatred. "But I won't," Hans said, pulling the knife from Elsa's throat and sheathing it in his belt with a flourish. "You see, I am not without mercy. Oh, but it's true," he laughed, seeing the furious looks from each of the Queensguard. "Rapunzel meant nothing to me, and still, I offered her life. Her life was forfeit by her own hand, when she foolishly set you free. I always keep my word. If she had not betrayed me, she would have had nothing to fear.

"But she did betray me, and you see the cost of her folly before you. I have decided to give you, on the other hand, another chance." He turned to face Elsa once more. "I regret very deeply my actions of two years ago," he said, his voice adopting a silky tone that Kristoff had never heard before. It sounded much like Heins's. "I caused you more pain than anyone should have to endure, and what's more, I made my brother do it to you." He nodded his head at Heins.

"For that," he continued, "I shall allow you all one more chance to make the right choice. I will even give you time to come to terms with it, if necessary, as I'm sure it will be. I will allow you, and your Queensguard, to leave here alive. Go and return to your army, return to Arendelle. I will not attempt to stop you in any way, nor shall any hand I command." He was now walking among the frozen Queensguard, pausing near Anna long enough to stroke her cheek, even as he had done Elsa, the crimson masking her freckles and dripping down her chin. "I shall even grant you a three day head start before my army sets out, to ease your minds that I do not intend to betray our agreement. Once we arrive, we shall leave all your lands untouched save that which we must take to sustain ourselves, and will come to Arendelle under a peaceful banner, whereupon you shall invite me into your castle to accept my terms." He dropped his voice. "I need hardly remind you what will happen should you betray me. I go against my better judgement now… needless to say I will not make it quick if it turns out my faith was misplaced. Now, I have kept you quite long enough. Allow me to assist you in your departure."

That was the last thing Kristoff remembered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To huge fans of the movie Tangled.... sorry.


	19. Heins - Complications

Heins opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was that he was outside. He didn't understand how, not one millisecond earlier he had been inside Corona's castle. Then he noticed that he was lying on his back, with his hands clasped over his chest, as though he were lying in a casket at a wake. There were bodies pressing in on him on either side. He turned his head to see Elsa, lying right next to him, her hands also clasped over her chest. Heins couldn't tell if she was breathing, so he sat up and felt her neck for a pulse, and to his immense relief, he found one. On his other side lay Kristoff, with the same serene look on his face. Heins got up. The entirety of the Queensguard lay, side by side, on a bed of grass in the woods. The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, bathing them all in shafts of emerald green light shining through the trees surrounding their small clearing.

"Elsa," he whispered, nudging her. He didn't want to wake her up too suddenly and frighten her. She did not react. He tried again, this time shaking her gently. She turned her head to the side this time, but otherwise did not stir. Heins tried waking each of the other Queensguard, one at a time, with ever louder and more energetic methods (a slap or two may have entered the mix when he got frustrated), but none of them would wake. Giving up to the fact that he would just have to wait until they woke of their own accord, just like him, he started to explore the clearing. To his very great surprise, he discovered their weapons in a pile at the foot of a large oak tree. He found Voda and strapped it on. He gathered the other's weapons and distributed them to their owner's feet, so they could leave as soon as they were all awake. He was very glad to find Anna's blue ribbon among the weapons. He didn't want to have to tell her it was gone.

His work done, he returned to the oak and sat down at its base, leaning against his trunk. He had a good view of the clearing from here. Nothing would be able to get anywhere near his friends without him seeing. He had a new problem now. He had been preoccupied, however slightly, with trying to wake the others, then arranging their arms amongst them. Now, with nothing left to occupy him, he started replaying the night's events over and over, a sort of grisly slideshow he longed to switch off.

He tried forcing thoughts of pleasant things. He thought of Elsa for a little while, but try as he might, he couldn't stop himself from reliving those horrible hours in the tent with her two years ago, so he stopped. Kristoff sparring with him worked for a bit, as there were many bouts to go over in exhausting detail, both of them exhilarated at having a true rival, but before long, that too lost his attention. In the interest of fairness, he cast his mind around for something involving Anna, and he landed on her look of joy as she chatted with Rapunzel at- _dammit._ Anna's face melted from his mind as Rapunzel's body once again flashed in front of his eyes, Hans's sickening grin as the knife carved its way through flesh and sinew and arteries, Rapunzel's blood spraying out from a gaping wound, like a smiling mouth where it didn't belong, splitting Rapunzel's skin from ear to ear, it would never cease to surprise him how far blood would spray when the carotid artery- _STOP IT,_ Heins ordered himself, his hands over his face, as though he could block the images that were coming from within. _Don't think about Rapunzel!_

 _Okay!,_ his mind obeyed, as though his very brain was taunting him. _How about Eugene?_ His stomach churned. Heins had not even had time to spare a thought for Rapunzel's husband, who was perhaps even now lying in a hospital somewhere, wondering why none of his friends had visited him yet, wondering where his wife was, waiting for a comforting hand that would never come- _STOP IT!_ , Heins screamed inside his own mind, and it was several seconds before he realized he had shouted out loud as well. He slumped back against the tree and sighed.

"Heins?" The voice was so unexpected that his hand was halfway to his blade before he recognized the source. He berated himself for letting his attention wane so much- what if someone had tried to attack them?- then looked up.

"Anna?" he asked, blinking up at her, the sun now hovering around the tops of the trees. He supposed it must be about mid-morning. His sister-in-law stood over him, gazing down in concern.

"Yeah… Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Um... you okay? I heard you shout."

He closed his eyes and dropped his head, speaking to his lap. "Yeah, I was just thinking… about last night. About Rapunzel, about how she sold us out but then tried to fix it, then what Hans did, so I tried to stop thinking about her, but then I just thought about Eugene, and how he probably doesn't know yet, and what he's going to do when he does, and…" The words were coming faster now, almost without his control, and he continued in this vein for almost a full minute, head in his hands, before a soft sniffle brought him back to himself. Heins's stomach plummeted. He jerked his head up to see Anna's lip trembling, her arms wrapped around her middle.

"Oh, god, Anna, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-!" He started to scramble to his feet, but she pushed him back down.

"It's fine," she said in a wavering voice, taking a deep breath to steady herself. When she continued, her voice was steady. "It's not like I wasn't already thinking about them too. When I was…" She gestured behind her at the rest of the Queensguard still lying motionless. "I dreamed about them. At least, I think it might have been a dream. Whatever that was, it wasn't sleep." Seeming drained, Anna sunk down next to Heins, leaning back against the tree trunk with her eyes closed.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked. Heins saw that she had already armed herself, with Silva at her hip and her strung bow slung over her shoulder, a quiver full of arrows poking out from behind her red hair.

"Not long. Twenty minutes? Maybe thirty. I tried to wake you all up, but it was no use. So I grabbed our weapons from over there by that tree and spread them out. I want to leave here as soon as everyone's awake."

"Speaking of _here_ ," Anna said, gazing around and frowning, "where exactly is _here_? And how did we get here? I remember Hans saying something about assisting us, then I woke up out here. What happened?"

"I'm not sure," said Heins. "I remember the same thing. Do you think it could be the Dreamwalker again?"

Anna furrowed her brow, thinking. "I don't know. Could be. But didn't Gareth say he was still in the Southern Isles?"

"He did," Heins admitted. "But how do we know Gareth hasn't been under his influence? How do you track someone who can make you think whatever he wants?"

"Good point." Anna looked thoughtful, then said, "You know, now you say that- I wonder if he didn't mess with Kristoff and Alan when I sent them to the Southern Isles after the accident. As far as we know now, the Empire is unified, and Weselton is supportive of Harold, who is technically still King, although it looks like Hans is running the show. What if they were trying to throw us off the trail?"

It was Heins's turn to frown, thinking hard. "But why…" he said, slowly. "To what end? What is there to be gained by revealing the Dreamwalker, no matter how?"

"Simple," Anna said at once. "What was our first thought when we discovered what had happened to your family?"

"Treason."

"Correct. So what would we have thought if we went there and absolutely everything was normal?"

"We'd have been even more suspicious," Heins admitted. "And they needed to make sure we thought we knew what was going on." He sighed. "This just got a lot more complicated, didn't it?"

"Yeah, I think so. We need to find some way of dealing with him. How do we even know we're here? How do I know you're really you, and not me being forced to imagine you here?"

Heins's head was starting to hurt. Desperate to feel as though he had some control of the situation, he said, "But he can be thrown off. Remember when Marshmallow showed up in the camp? He was so surprised that he lost control over Elsa. Plus, there was the simple fact that he didn't take over all of us, he had to use Elsa to try to kill us. I think there must be a limit to how many people he can influence."

"Yeah," Anna agreed, seizing the topic. "Plus, Elsa told us afterwards that she only fought us because she thought we were enemies in her own castle, and I was urging her to protect me. I don't think the Dreamwalker can control you exactly, just influence your senses to make you think something very different is actually happening." She fell silent, with a contemplative look on her face, chewing at her bottom lip.

 _So the Dreamwalker does have limits after all,_ thought Heins. Another thought occurred to him. "Wait a minute, if he can't control more than a few people at a time, that means that what Kristoff and Alan experienced was a hallucination! They said that the Dreamwalker was controlling everyone in the city, but he was actually just manipulating them. The whole army could have been in the streets, and they'd be none the wiser."

Anna thought for a moment, then shook her head. "But what about Gareth? No one but us even knows about him. How is the Dreamwalker supposed to influence him when he doesn't even know he exists? Remember, he reported the same thing as Kristoff and Alan did."

"I'm not sure," admitted Heins. "How do we know Hans hasn't found out about Gareth? Besides, either way, it doesn't have to have been the Dreamwalker to have done this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. Hans has magic, somehow. He's able to move things without touching them. I've never heard of that type of magic, but then again, it's _magic._ Who knows what's out there? What if it was Hans that knocked us out like that?"

Anna looked bewildered. "How?"

"As part of such a large family-" he choked on the words, remembering that it wasn't very large anymore, "-well, what used to be, most of us were free to study our areas of interest. Pretty much everyone except the oldest two were practically guaranteed never to ascend to the throne, so we did whatever interested us. I took quite a few classes on medicine when I was younger, and there are quite a few ways he could have rendered us unconscious with his powers. All he would have to do is use his magic to apply pressure to certain points in our bodies, and we're down."

Anna looked alarmed by this. In an effort to calm her down, he said, "Don't worry too much. He's powerful, but not omniscient. The only reason he could do that is because he didn't have anything else to worry about just then. I doubt that will happen again. We'll be on our guard now."

"Heins? Anna?" A groggy voice drifted towards them. Cari had awoken, and was staggering their way, clutching her head. She was weaving as though drunk. Heins and Anna both sprang to their feet and rushed to her side, just as her balance betrayed her and she started to topple. They caught her, and lowered her to the ground against the tree.

"You okay?" Anna asked, feeling Cari's forehead with the back of her hand.

"Headache…" mumbled Cari.

"Anna?" came another groggy voice, Kristoff's this time.

Over the next twenty minutes, it appeared that Heins and Anna's smooth awakenings were very much in the minority. Only Baldur and Liam woke as well, the rest of them woke like Cari, moving around with stiff limbs, clutching their heads as they tried to dress in their armor, being assisted by the lucky few with full control over their faculties.

Heins was just helping Elsa fasten her chestplate when he heard a loud CRACK from somewhere outside the clearing. He froze, his hands still clasping the buckle under Elsa's left arm. He was positive that that had been the sound of a branch breaking underfoot. He caught Anna's eye, and drew his sword.

"Stay here," he hissed at Elsa, who showed every sign of getting up and coming with him. "You're not fit for this." With that, he bounded off into the trees, Anna, Baldur, and Liam right behind him.

It didn't take very long to discover the source of the disturbance. Two people were crashing through the undergrowth, making no attempt at stealth. It was effortless to get the drop on them. In seconds, two men knelt in front of Heins and Anna, with bare blades at their necks, courtesy of Baldur and Liam. They wore no distinguishing marks, and Heins was going to take no chances.

"Who are you?" Heins demanded.

"Messengers!" said one, in a shaky voice, eying the steel at his throat with wide eyes. "We've been looking for you!"

"Messengers?" Anna repeated. "Who sent you?"

"General Raston," said the other, in a calmer voice. "We went to Corona to find you, but they said you never made it there, and that we should go look for you!" If Anna was surprised by this information, she didn't show it.

"You're going to have to do better than that," said Cari. "How do we know you're from Arendelle?"

"Er… because we are?" said the timid one.

"Prove it," said Kristoff. "What is the name of the King before Queen Elsa?"

"Agnarr," they both said at once.

"And the Queen?" Kristoff challenged.

"Iduna."

Kristoff considered a moment, then shrugged. "It'll have to do."

"Why are you dressed like this?" Heins asked. "You're lucky we didn't kill you."

"They told us that the Empire might have been near, and that we shouldn't appear to be from Arendelle. Queen Rapunzel was worried when you didn't show up, and thought you might have been attacked." Anna looked at Elsa in surprise. The messengers did not miss the action.

"What's going on?" the first one asked. "Why didn't you make it to Corona?"

Anna signaled Liam and Baldur, who sheathed their blades at once.

"Come with me," she said.

Back in the clearing, the messengers were shaking their heads. It hadn't taken long for Anna to relay the events of the previous night, helped on occasion by a still-nauseous Elsa. Anna had again taken on the Queenly demeanor that served her so well during the honeymoon, and Elsa didn't seem to take issue with her sister taking the lead for now- either that, or she was feeling too poor to protest.

"And to think, we were there this morning! Why did they let us go?"

"I already told you," said Anna, not unkindly. "Hans said he didn't want to kill us, and to give us the chance to make the right decision." She spat on the ground at her feet, a very un-Anna like gesture. But then, neither was the fire burning behind her teal eyes. Anna was one of the sweetest, kindest, and gentlest people Heins had ever met. But God help you if you threatened the people she loved, especially when you think about the fact that Kristoff would be right behind her. Heins had to suppress a shudder thinking about what it would be like to have those two out for your blood.

"Now," Anna continued. "Where is the army? We need to reroute them south, to Arendelle. We have precious little time before the Empire arrives on our doorstep, and I want to make sure they are greeted in the manner that they deserve."

"About…" one of the messengers consulted the sun, a contemplative look on his face, drawing in the air with his finger, mapping out their route in his head as he muttered to himself. "An hour from here. They were set to arrive at Corona this evening."

"Good. Take us there."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The messengers proved to be excellent guides. They led the company around most major obstacles, with the worst thing they had to cross being an ankle high stream. Whatever had made the others sick seemed to be wearing off as well. The color was returning to their cheeks and their eyes brightened, until each of them had the same weary but determined shine to their eyes. They found the army almost precisely one hour later.

Heins tried to pay attention to the proceedings, but it all seemed to pass in a blur. Coming in sight of the army's vanguard, General Raston galloping up to them, discussions, arguments, disagreements, agreements, a hasty farewell, and next thing he knew, Heins was in a saddle, aware only of the swaying blonde hair bobbing up and down in front of him as Elsa led her horse at a gentle trot through the winding forest paths. The army would follow with all haste, but Elsa had decided to follow the same strategy that they had tried in Corona- they would go ahead to evacuate and prepare the Kingdom for war.

The last few days had seemed like a whirlwind- no, wait, that wasn't right. It had only been a few hours since Rapunzel had died. Heins reeled back in his saddle as this realization crashed over him. Had it really only been hours? Easier measured in minutes than in days? It seemed impossible, but it was true. Just hours since Rapunzel's life was cut short. At his brother's hand. Rage and sorrow filled him in equal measure. He would make his brother pay. His rage propelled him forward, bringing an angry energy to his limbs and focusing his mind. As they trudged along, however, his rage began to cool into a simmering anger, then subsided further into a simple bad temper.

The Queensguard did not stop all that day and all that night. They ate in the saddle, then dismounted for long stretches of time to give their horses a small break before driving them on.

"Halt!" called Heins in a weak voice. It was a day and a half later, and night was falling. No one had slept since leaving the clearing, and they were all walking alongside their panting mounts. Heins's rage had vacated him, leaving him feeling hollow and exhausted. "That's it, we can't go any further."

"No," croaked Elsa. "We have to… to keep going…" Her feeble voice trailed away.

"No," said Heins firmly. "Look." He gestured to the rest of the Queensguard. Kristoff's eyes were bloodshot, Anna was drooling on her breastplate as her head drooped to her chest, Baldur had already fallen asleep where he stood in the five seconds it had been since they stopped, Leila had huge bags under her eyes, and Liam was looking up at the leaves as though they were the most fascinating things he had ever seen, his face screwed up in apparent concentration. Even Silas, ever the unflappable, was swaying like a drunkard. The horses looked practically on the verge of collapse, and Heins thought it was a miracle none of them had died or been lamed. Still, they'd need to take a long rest and go slow tomorrow.

"Well…" Elsa groaned, rubbing her eyes. "Very well. Make camp here." It did not take long to set up the tents, as almost all of their non-essential gear had been left with the army to speed up their return to Arendelle. Within twenty minutes, Heins was fast asleep on a cot in his and Elsa's tent, lost in a dreamless slumber.

The next thing he knew, Heins was on his back, his arm wrapped around Elsa, who was lying with her head on his shoulder and her leg draped over his, her breathing soft and steady, matching his own rhythm. This made him very happy for a moment, but the happiness soon leaked out of him as the memories of the day before crashed over him in waves. Heins's stomach twisted. On the wall of the tent, he saw the fabric lit with the soft light of the rising sun, marbled and sinuous with the gentle breeze through the trees. It gave him a feeling of unreality, it made no sense to him that the day could be starting so beautifully, as the world had ended yesterday, collapsing around him with the death of his wife's cousin, the fall of Corona, and a desperate journey back to Arendelle. _More like a march to the gallows._ The thought had crossed his mind before he could stop it. What hope had they of survival? Heins had long since realized he had never truly known his brother, but he knew one thing for certain- Hans had no intent of allowing them to live. And with powers like that, what could they do? Even Elsa, who Heins had always regarded as the most powerful magician alive, and not without reason, Hans had defeated her without so much as a drop of effort. Not only that, they had been unable to so much as scratch him with normal weapons, their points turned aside in midair with some unknown force.

His thoughts turning darker and darker, Heins did not immediately realize that he had begun to move about, uncomfortable and restless in equal measure. He only noticed when Elsa sighed and began to stir. Heins froze at once, hoping very much that she would remain asleep, but it was already too late. She lifted her head and gazed at him, eyes half closed. She woke just like Heins had. She smiled at him for a few moments, then her face fell. She rolled off of him at once and sat up at the edge of the cot, facing away from him. Though she did not make a sound, her shoulders shook, and Heins knew she had started to cry. Heins knew that she wanted to hide her tears, and so, pretending not to see, he got out of bed, kissed the top of her head, and went outside. He had been one of the last to rise, and the rest of the Queensguard were busy packing up the camp, a task made significantly easier by the fact that they had been so tired when setting up that it looked like a medium sized breeze would have knocked the whole camp down.

Kristoff came out of one of the still standing tents, rubbing his cheek.

"What's wrong?" asked Heins, worried that there may have been trouble in the night. The way he had slept, Heins doubted he'd have noticed the Empire's entire army marching through their camp.

"Anna threw a shoe at me when I tried to wake her up."

The answer was so unexpected, and the tone was so exasperated that Heins burst out laughing. Kristoff glared at him for a moment, but then grinned himself, and for a shining moment, all was right with the world, and the pressure on Heins's chest relaxed and he could breathe easily again, and the tension in his limbs and shoulders melted away, and they were just having a laugh at the antics of Kristoff's sometimes rather immature wife.

"Sorry," chuckled Heins. "Elsa sometimes-" but whatever he was about to say was lost in his throat as he thought of his wife, alone in their tent, miserable and confused, but having to hide it all. To be the Queen. The tiny bubble of levity had popped like a soap bubble, to be replaced once again with fear. The crushing weight on Heins's chest returned as suddenly as it had gone. He needed to clear his head. "Er- will you walk with me?" he asked Kristoff, who nodded, and Heins turned and led the way out of the camp. They walked down the road a short while until they reached the crest of a hill. From here, the road dropped into a large valley, and they could see it twisting and winding through the trees at the valley floor like an enormous snake, sinuous and fluid. The sun shone on their right, bathing one side of the valley in spectacular rays of crimson and gold, while the other side was still bathed in darkness. The view was quite breathtaking.

Heins had only a few seconds to absorb the view before Kristoff asked, "What's wrong with Elsa?" Waving away Heins questioning look, he continued, "Come on. You're laughing, say Elsa's name, and then look like you're at a funeral. What's going on?"

"Well," started Heins, averting his eyes under the pretense of examining the valley below. "She's not doing very well. She's scared, Kristoff. Way more scared than she'll admit to anyone. And…" He took a deep breath before continuing. "So am I. What's coming for us… I don't think we can survive it." Kristoff placed a comforting hand on Heins's shoulder, giving him a small shake.

"Come on, Heins," he said, clapping a hand on Heins's shoulder. "Don't talk like that."

"You know it's true. I _know_ you know. Although… I see Anna's optimism is rubbing off on you."

Kristoff shrugged. "You know Anna. Never gives up. Never believes we won't make it."

"Never doubts Elsa, either." Kristoff didn't reply, but he looked troubled. "It's taking a toll on her, Kristoff. She loves Anna more than anything else. More than herself, more than you, more than me. She doesn't want to let her down. Not after what happened when they were kids, and especially after she froze her heart."

"And?"

Heins turned away even more. "And it's going to have a price. And we might not be able to pay it when it comes."


	20. Elsa - The Mask Slips

Elsa had not slept well that night. Dreams, such terrible dreams, worse than she had ever had in her entire life, came to her in relentless waves, crashing and breaking all around her, threatening to pull her out into the endless sea. Dreams of heartache, terror, loss. Dreams of Rapunzel's bloody corpse, sitting in a throne in a cruel imitation of life. Dreams of Heins, shattered and lifeless, lying on the floor at her feet. Dreams of Kristoff, pierced by many arrows, sitting against a wall, eyes open and glassy. And, worst of all, dreams of Anna, butchered by Hans's hands, his cruel smile flashing in the darkness through the endless crimson staining his skin as he struck again and again at her sister's broken form. It was what she feared most. All Elsa had ever wanted was to protect her sister, Anna. The Queen had failed yet again.

Elsa was only eight years old when she failed her sister for the first time. The day had started out like any other, Anna bouncing across the room they shared to wake Elsa at the absolute crack of dawn. Elsa had resisted at first, but it was a token effort. It was Anna. Elsa loved her more than anything else. All resistance had shattered when Anna said those magic words: "Do you wanna build a snowman?"

Did she want to build a snowman with Anna? Of course she did. It was her favorite thing to do in the whole world. And with her abilities, she and Anna could do it whenever and wherever they wanted. Elsa had control then, real control, or so she had foolishly thought at the time. Looking back, it was a miracle in and of itself that Elsa's stupidity hadn't caused problems before that day. Because of Elsa, Anna nearly lost her life and did lose much of her memories, with troll magic and her parents' desperate flight to the mountains being the only reason she survived. Elsa swore that she would never put her sister in danger again, and shut the door on Anna for good. It held for thirteen years.

Elsa remained a monster, a grotesque abomination fit only to languish in the dark, a terrible danger to everyone around her. She was still a threat to her sister, despite her self-imposed isolation, and she proved it when she lost control at her coronation. She had not kept her promise. She could have impaled Anna and everyone else at the party with a simple swipe of her hand. She knew then that shutting herself in her room would not be sufficient to protect those Elsa loved, and she fled into the mountains, intending to die alone and suffering, as she deserved. Anna would be much happier without her, after all. Without a sister of whom she must always be ashamed and frightened of. Without a sister that had nearly killed her twice. Better to be an only child than Elsa's sibling. But as Elsa climbed the North Mountain, wanting to die where she would never be found, where any after effects of her terrible condition would never hurt anyone, she realized, for the first time in over a decade, that she could use her powers without fear. She built her castle, resolving never again to descend to where the good and decent people dwelled. She would live alone, able to watch her sister from afar, but never to contact her again. Never hug her again. Never touch her again.

But of course, Elsa's terrible curse had struck again, sending Arendelle blundering into a snowy land that they were ill-equipped to manage. And Anna, wonderful Anna, brave, kind, loving, selfless Anna had come after her, trusting with all her heart that Elsa, her sister, her unstable, dangerous sister would never hurt her. Not knowing how close she had come to death already. Not knowing what lengths Elsa had gone to to protect her. Elsa, in her fear and cowardice, lashed out, striking Anna in the heart with her magic, giving her mere hours to cling to life. Even as Elsa struck this fatal blow, she almost killed her sister yet again by trying to remove her from her castle, overdoing the magic she had used to create a guard for herself, one that would ensure no one ever came there again. Elsa fell lower than she had ever done. Nothing she did was right. Everything she did put other people, put _Anna_ , in danger. Thoughts of a quick death at her own hand flashed through her mind, comforting in their promise of peaceful oblivion. She would never have to fear again. She would never hurt innocent people ever again. She would never hurt her sister again. She would _protect_ , everyone, once and for all. She could throw herself off the mountain? No, that would be too quick a death for a monster like her. Perhaps she would cut her throat with an ice blade? It would be messy, and painful, a rather fitting end for something such as her. Elsa got as far as to have the blade poised in her hand, millimeters from her neck, willing, _urging_ herself that it was the right thing to do, but in the end, the blade clattered to the icy floor from nerveless fingers, and Elsa's sobs echoed around the empty halls. She was too much of a coward to take her own life. Someone else would have to do it. Luckily, that very someone arrived the next day. Unluckily, they didn't manage to kill her either.

She hadn't even meant to do it. It was reflexive, automatic. She tried to let the bolt drive through her heart, put her down like the beast she was, but her curse would not free her so easily. It sprang into being of its own accord, protecting her even against her will. Or was it against her will? She had already proved her own selfish cowardice by refusing to take her own life, even though it would save countless more. Had it really been subconscious? Or had she been so selfish that she would not allow herself to be killed? All the fear, all the hate, all the loss, all the revulsion and disgust and sorrow and pain that had built up in Elsa over the years burst from her in a terrible fury, and she almost killed two men who were only trying to stop the winter Elsa herself had created.

The chandelier was her last, best hope. When she saw it fall, she tried to stay still. She tried to watch it fall, awaiting the blessed relief it would bring, but her cowardly instincts kicked in yet again. She ran. But not fast enough. She was too slow to get away, and was knocked out from the impact of the more than one thousand pounds of ice.

And then, even in the very end, when she was unaware of the blade swinging towards her neck, when not even her powers could save her, when she could finally keep everyone _safe_ , her sister, the one Elsa loved most, the one she swore to protect so many times, sacrificed herself for Elsa. All Elsa had ever tried to do was protect Anna, but not only had she failed to do so, time and time again, letting her down over and over, Anna was placed in danger as a direct result of Elsa's failures. Even worse, she was placing herself in danger, to save Elsa's worthless life, and it was only another miracle that kept Anna alive.

Even after Elsa managed to thaw the winter (which was about the only thing she'd ever managed to properly do), Anna continued to save Elsa more times than she could count. From cheering her up when she spent days holed up in her room, refusing meals, to helping her somehow get Heins to like her enough to marry her, to doing hours and hours of research to help control her powers, to risking everything to ride to her rescue from the torture she endured at Hans's cruel hand. Why? Why couldn't Elsa do the same for Anna? Why did Anna still love Elsa? She didn't deserve it, that much was clear. All she did was take, take, take, never giving back, putting Anna in mortal danger so many times she'd lost count, and now, she was leading her entire Kingdom to their deaths, there was nothing she could do about it, and yet _Anna still believed in her_. She had never deserved anything less than the faith her sister showed her. She had to tell her. Had to tell Anna. _Do this one thing right. Tell her. Tell her it's hopeless. The next time you see her._

There was a soft knock on the tent post. "Elsa?" _And here it is. Tell her._

"Yes, Anna?" replied Elsa, rising to face the entrance. Her face was dry, all evidence of her despair hidden beneath the mask she was so adept at using. Anna stepped into the tent, wearing her nightgown, looking crestfallen.

"I had really bad dreams last night," said Anna, sitting down on the bed and leaning forward, holding her head in her hands. Elsa sat down next to her and put an arm around her. "We were in Arendelle… and it was burning. I was running from something, and everything was fire, and there were bodies everywhere. Kristoff's, Heins's, yours, even-" she gave a humorless chuckle "- mom and dad. And I kept trying to stop to help, but everyone was already dead, and I had to keep running or it would catch me, and then…" her voice trailed off, and she took a deep, steadying breath. "Rapunzel was there, and she was standing in the street, but she had no eyes, and she said it was my fault-"

"Now hold on, Anna," admonished Elsa. She steeled herself. _Tell her._ "It wasn't your fault. It was mine. I-"

Anna's head jerked up to look at Elsa, eyes wide. "Elsa! How could you think that?" she cried. "Of course it wasn't your fault! How could you even say that?" The indignation, the surprise, the outrage. Anna could not accept, could not comprehend how it might have been even a little bit Elsa's fault, and Elsa's heart broke a little more.

"I guess," Elsa lied. "Maybe I'm being stupid." What was she doing? _Tell her!_ Elsa screamed in her own mind. "Why don't you go get dressed? We need to leave soon." _TELL HER!_ Anna gripped Elsa in a tight hug, kissed her cheek, then left the tent. Elsa managed to make it almost five seconds before the tears came again. A moment later, Heins entered the tent. Seeing the face of the man who should not love her was too much for Elsa, and she turned away, sobbing and wrapping her arms around herself, like she used to.

"I've killed us all," gasped Elsa. "And Anna… and Anna…" She couldn't go on.


	21. Anna - Back to Arendelle

The first glimpse of home came the next morning. Anna had just begun to nod off in her saddle when she felt a nudge on her elbow. Looking around, she saw Heins pointing ahead of them, grinning. Arendelle was gleaming in the distance, the fjord sparkling behind it. Maybe it was just that she hadn't seen it in a month (and part of Anna was still reeling that it had _only_ been a month), but Anna was sure it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever laid eyes on.

Their party had dwindled since entering the Kingdom. Arendelle only had one real city, the capital, and every other town was small, simple, and, as Heins and Elsa had pointed out, for all practicality impossible to defend for a return of very little strategic value. So Elsa had sent out members of the Queensguard to evacuate the rest of the towns and consolidate in the capital. There had been some aversion to the idea, seeing as it was the exact same plan that had ended in utter ruin about three days before, but no one had been able to come up with a suitable alternative, so that was that. Only Anna, Kristoff, Elsa, Heins, Silas, and Leila remained now, with the others to join them when they had finished their respective evacuations. Anna looked around at the rest of them, and relief shone on each face- well, except for Silas, who never looked anything but bored with his surroundings. Anna thought she saw Elsa look frightened for a moment, but decided it must have been a trick of her tired eyes. It wasn't long before the city gates opened and a lone horsemen came charging out. He wore the Arendelle colors, but all six of them tightened their hands on their weapons as he approached, having been surprised too many times lately. To Anna's relief, their concern was for naught.

"Hail, Queen Elsa!" he cried, coming to a halt in front of them. "You are much earlier than expected… and where is-"

"Not now," Elsa interjected. "Return to the city and tell your superior officer we are coming. That'll be Raston's son, won't it?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, Colonel Raston." Anna smiled on hearing the name. Not much was known about the younger Raston. Anna didn't even know his first name, but he had only been in service for a year before he made Colonel. As these things go, he had faced some accusations that he had only attained his position through his father's influence, but those were silenced when he offered to relinquish his position to anyone who could defeat him in a sparring match. After a few broken bones, three concussions, and a bruised sternum, everyone seemed to suddenly have known all along he was a fine Colonel.

"Good. Tell him to await us at the gate." The man saluted and galloped away, and the six of them continued on their way. The passed through the gate a short while later to find Colonel Raston waiting there with four city guards. They waited, still and silent, while the six of them dismounted and passed their weary mounts to stablehands.

"Greetings, Your Majesty," he said in a silky tone when Elsa approached. Colonel Raston was much like his father- tall, imposing, and relentlessly proper, with an excellent battle sense despite his relative inexperience.

"Greetings, Colonel. Come with me, I'll fill you in on the way to the castle. Leila, Silas, take these men-" she indicated the city guards "- and begin organizing the city guard to fortify the city. Oh, and someone find Gareth and have him come to the castle." True to form, Colonel Raston said nothing, just signaling to his guards to obey before falling in step beside Elsa as they strode up the main street towards the castle. Elsa began to explain, and if Colonel Raston were surprised at what had happened, he didn't show it. Elsa didn't finish the tale until they were all in the throne room. Her last words had just faded into silence when the door opened and Gareth strode in.

"Someone said you wanted to see me, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, thank you Gareth," Elsa said. "The army is on their way back here. Find them, and assist General Raston in any way you can. He'll explain the details."

Gareth had begun shrinking before Elsa had even finished her order. Heins threw open the window, and in seconds, the eagle had taken flight and soared out the window.

"Pardon me," said Colonel Raston. Anna was surprised to see that his normally impassive visage was clouded with worry. "What do you command, Your Majesty? Have you returned to fight, or surrender?"

"Surrender is not an option," said Heins, before Elsa could answer. "To a normal ruler, sure, surrendering may be the best choice. But being treated fairly by Hans is outside the realm of possibility. He killed almost our entire family. He has laid waste to three Kingdoms already. He has no intention of allowing our surrender, I promise you that." Colonel Raston cocked an eyebrow at Elsa, who nodded.

"Very well. In that case, there is much to do. Is there more, Your Majesty…?"

"No, Colonel. You are dismissed. Go and brief your lieutenants." Colonel Raston saluted and left. Elsa turned around and walked to the window, her shoulders moving with slow, deliberate breaths. After a moment, the others joined her.

"How can we help, Elsa?" asked Kristoff.

Elsa took a while to respond, and when she did, her voice was weak and shaky. "I don't know."

Kristoff, Anna, and Heins exchanged looks. "Well…" began Kristoff. "Until you need us for something, Anna and I will go find the Queensguard and help them to organize the defense?" Elsa nodded. Kristoff turned to go, but Anna walked over to Elsa and wrapped her arms around her sister.

"You got this, Elsa," Anna whispered in her ear. "I believe in you." Elsa didn't say anything, but that was okay. Anna didn't see the dark look that passed between Kristoff and Heins. She broke away and followed Kristoff out of the throne room, back out of the castle, and towards the front gates of Arendelle. As they walked, they discussed their options.

"Hans will not be able to come from the water," Kristoff said. "Even if he could muster the navy from the Southern Isles, all Elsa would have to do is-" Kristoff stomped on his next step "- and that'd be that. "

"You're right," said Anna. "He's seen firsthand that Elsa could freeze the entire fjord without even meaning to. Land it is."

Kristoff nodded. "So what I was thinking is that we could have the soldiers dig trenches leading up to the wall. Stack the dirt on the side of the trench closest to the wall. Make sure the dirt is nice and loose, so it's hard to climb. With a few layers of trenches, that'll slow them down a lot, and we can do a lot of damage with archers up on the walls. In the meantime, we can pour boiling pitch or oil down on them, and then, we'd have to- Anna?"

Anna had frozen in mid-stride some ten feet behind Kristoff, unable to wrap her head around that thought. "You want to… pour boiling oil… on _people?_ " Kristoff's face hardened.

"They would do the same to us. They'd do worse to us. Remember who we're fighting. We can't show mercy to those who would show us none. Our only hope is to cause enough damage to convince Hans it's not worth it to take Arendelle. And the only way we do that, is by doing... things we'd rather not do." Anna wanted to argue, but there was too much truth in Kristoff's words.

"Fine," she conceded, beginning to walk again. "But it's still wrong. And we might not need to. Elsa will think of something by then." They reached the main gate and paused, gazing around.

"They'll probably have a battering ram…" Kristoff said, deep in thought, inspecting the gates. "And this wood is old. It won't hold very long unless it has some serious reinforcement. We could start by taking care of that, but even then, it won't last. They'll break through for sure. And they'll probably try coming over the walls too. We won't hold them at the wall, just delay them"

"So what do we do, then?" Anna asked.

Kristoff turned around to face the city, and Anna followed suit. There was a quarter mile of empty grass between the gate and the first buildings. Countless roads and alleys between them offered many points of entry for the enemy. But, each of those alleys save for the main road were no wider than three or four men standing shoulder to shoulder. It would be very easy to defend those points, the Empires numerical advantage meaning nothing if they could only get one or two to the front at a time. Against an entrenched foe, they'd lose dozens and not get an inch into the city, the very bodies of their fallen comrades hindering the ones left alive. The main road, however, was much harder to defend. It was almost a hundred feet wide of clear, open bricktop. There was no way to dig, and nowhere to put any type of barricade that couldn't just be pushed over.

"What do we do about that, Kristoff?" Anna asked, gesturing towards the road. "Those little alleys will be easy enough to defend, but that? We'll have no advantage. We could put archers on the roofs along the road, but once the Empire gets here, they'll be too close to our own soldiers for the archers to shoot."

"I don't know."

Anna thought for a moment, then- "We could pile up wagons and things in a big pile for them to have to climb over. It's not much, but it's something. And then, we could-" Revulsion forced her throat closed, but with great effort, she continued. "The street is stone. We could set fire to it as they climb over." Kristoff turned to her in surprise. "Hey, you said it, right? 'Things we'd rather not do'?"


	22. Elsa - The Empire Arrives

The door swung shut with a soft _click_ , and then heavy silence pressed down like a thick blanket over the throne room.

"Anna really believes you can find a way out of this," said Heins after a while, a sorrowful look on his face.

Elsa laughed, but there was no humor in it, echoing in the empty room. "Do you?" she asked, turning her back on him to look out of the window.

"I believe you'll do the right thing."

"Thank you. But I don't know what the right thing is."

"Well," Heins said, and Elsa could hear caution in his voice. "If the situation were different, I would suggest attempting a conditional surrender. The Empire is far too powerful for open war to be a viable option. But the situation now… Hans will not show mercy. He's shown nothing but cruelty. And… Your people would rather die than have you betray them as Rapunzel did."

Shocked, Elsa turned around to see Heins looking defiant. "She was my cousin! How can you say that?" she demanded.

"Come on, Elsa. It's just me," he said, his eyes hard. "You don't have to pretend. What she did sickened you. That's not to say you're not sad about her death," he added, seeing Elsa flare up again. "But I _know_ that you know what she did was cowardly."

Elsa opened her mouth to retort, then closed it again. She recognized truth in his words, even if he did say it rather callously. "Well, perhaps," she said, unable to bring herself to agree with Heins. Rapunzel _had_ acted like a fool, it was true, but to say it like this was too close to saying she deserved what she got. No one deserved that.

"Very well," Elsa continued after a moment. "We will fight. But not like fools. Please go get Martha, Jakob, and Shana. We need to plan."

* * *

With the Empire's arrival just days away, time seemed to pass by much faster than it ought to have, as though the gods were hastening the brief time of peace they had before they would again be fighting for their lives. Peace, in this case, did not mean rest. After the Queensguard returned from the outlying towns the next day, there were a grand total of around a dozen people who knew what had transpired over the past month, and Elsa had ordered that the full details be kept a complete secret. Naturally, everyone in the town knew absolutely everything about everything before sundown. The consequences weren't as bad as Elsa had feared, however. Rather than despair, as she had thought they would, Arendelle had rallied stronger than she had ever thought possible. In just three days, all of the earthworks had been completed. The town and castle doors had both been reinforced, thanks to the arrival of the villagers from the town of Nibelheim, among whom was Horst and Zack. Zack had become the unofficial leader of the townsfolk not just from his own town, but from Arendelle and the surrounding villages as well, and Horst had worked his magic on the gates. With him directing the castle smithy, steel bars had been installed on both sets of doors, making them much stronger than Elsa had dared hope.

Meanwhile, Zack was training the townspeople. Almost all of the men, and most of the women without young children, had chosen to fight rather than evacuate to the castle's keep until the fighting was over. In just two days, Zack had created a small army, untested and inexperienced, but it was still several thousand additional bodies that could be integrated and spread through the standing army. Very few of them were armed with proper weapons, but most of them had found hammers, shovels, pitchforks, or bows with which to use if armaments could not be provided in time. To that end, once the doors were fortified, Horst had directed the full might of the castle smithy to weapons. He was turning out several dozen swords an hour and hundreds of arrow and spearheads. To her utter astonishment, Elsa was feeling that they just might have enough weapons for everyone by the time the Empire arrived. The speed at which Horst was working meant the weapons weren't of his usual quality, but as he had said to her when she went to check on his progress, "A bad sword is better than no sword, Your Majesty. You can choose which."

The town had been fortified to an impressive degree. Tables, chairs, and other furniture were piled high in the streets, creating makeshift bunkers and funneling the Empire this way and that, turning what used to be a straight shot through the town into a twisting labyrinth of ambushes and traps. Some of Zack's militia had taken to the forests, felling trees by the dozen and dragging them into the city. The trunks were trimmed, and the remaining branches sharpened to create barriers between buildings. Children darted from roof to roof, rigging great nets with steel barbs on them over the streets. The women made arrows and spears by the thousands, using the tree branches from the barricades for a steady supply of wood, stocking every fortification with a small arsenal for the defenders to use as much as they could before falling back to the next one. Small jars of oil, as well as some flint and steel, were placed in each makeshift bunker for the defenders to light on their way out, destroying the remaining weapons and making it even harder for the Empire to advance through the streets.

It was lucky, Elsa thought, that Arendelle was so old. Almost everything in it was stone, and by utilizing wood for their temporary defenses only, everything they were building could be lit without undue risk to the city. They would not have been able to do the same in Corona. Even the stone buildings there had wooden detailing and a great deal of cloth.

Shana had also proved her worth again. While there was not much plant life for her to work with within the city, she had turned the fields in front of the town into a desolate wasteland, with the only remaining life being poison oak, stinging nettles, and thick, cutting brambles, save for the road, which she would leave until after Arendelle's army arrived. The Empire would have a very hard time getting through the fields intact, which Elsa hoped would damage morale enough to make a difference at the walls. Ten minutes more or less could mean everything. Elsa regretted that she and the other magicians would not be able to fight by her side when the Empire arrived, but they had other duties to attend to. Duties Elsa hoped with all her heart would never come to fruition.

It was mid-afternoon on the fourth day back in Arendelle when the first reports of the army's return reached Elsa's ears, and they returned before the sun had set on the fifth. General Raston was very pleased to see how much had been accomplished, and had sought out the advice of Zack at once as to where to direct the several thousand additional hands that had just arrived. _That is a wonderful trait for a general to have_ , Elsa thought. _He is not too proud to seek help from those who can provide it. And we all need all the help we can get._

The next few days passed in a blur. Each passing day seemed to mark another of Elsa's principles being violated as ever more brutal defenses were installed. More cruel, more inhumane, more sickening- but, Elsa had to admit, much more effective.

* * *

Elsa stood on the battlements on a platform above the main gate. Heins and General Raston were to her right, Anna and Kristoff to her left. The Queensguard were spread out along the wall, each commanding a battalion of soldiers. More were stationed on the ground behind them, ready to fire over the wall or fall back to the city if needed. The total number of fighters they had managed to scrounge up numbered around 20,000. A respectable number, to be sure, but it was nothing compared to the 100,000 strong stretched out in the fields before them. It was dusk on the ninth day since returning to Arendelle. The Empire had arrived.


	23. Heins - The Battle of Arendelle

Heins knew that the Empire would bring a formidable force. They had won the day on the Great Plains, true, but it was only because the Empire had chosen to withdraw. He thought he was prepared for the size of the enemy. But standing there, staring out at the Empire's forces, he felt somehow very small, like a child playing at war. Siege towers, ballistae, and trebuchets loomed out of the darkness. A battering ram that would take fifty men just to move. A lone horsemen came charging out from within the lines, flying a white flag.

"Hold your fire!" shouted Elsa, a call that echoed down the wall as the order was repeated. It took a long time for the horseman to wind his way through the obstacles on the field, but eventually he pulled his horse to a halt fifty feet from the gates.

"People of Arendelle!" he announced. "I come bearing tidings from my Master, the rightful ruler of these lands! His Excellency, Emperor Hans, has graciously offered to accept your total surrender, and he will leave the city and its inhabitants completely unharmed! All he asks is that your false tyrants, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna of Arendelle, be turned over so that they may face justice for defying my Master! You have his word that no harm will come to any of you, if his request is honored! People of Arendelle, I implore you, turn over your wicked leaders and embrace His Excellency's gracious and gentle rule!"

Silence fell. Heins saw an opportunity, and he seized it. "Arendelle!" he roared, signaling to Cari as he did so. "Do you accept these terms?"

"NEVER!" The cry came at the same moment that Cari's arrow flew toward the envoy and buried itself in the dirt in front of him. His horse reared, and he only just managed to stay seated.

"The next shots," Heins shouted, "will not miss! That was your only warning. Leave now, and you shall be unharmed, and tell your master what we think of his terms!" With that, Heins spat over the wall at the envoy.

"Very well," the envoy yelled. "You have chosen to rebuff the friendship of His Excellency, Emperor Hans! His giving hand has been withdrawn! You have sealed your fates! With his mighty power, he shall cleanse these lands of your filth! He shall rule the lands that are rightfully his! His Excellency will sweep through your city street by street, and impose order and security on your foul homeland! There will be peace, but you shall not live to see it! No one shall be spared from his glorious-" Heins's temper flared.

"Queensguard! FIRE!" he roared. Half a dozen arrows struck the envoy. He collapsed into the dirt and moved no more. His horse reared, then trotted away, leaving his former rider to bleed out on the grass. A great cheer rose up from the defenders on the walls, but Elsa looked at Heins in concern.

"Was that wise?" she asked, just loud enough to be heard over the din. "Firing on an envoy?"

"I gave him a warning," Heins said, his voice shaking with the anger coursing through his body.

"Yes, but…" she broke off, looking sad. "It doesn't really matter, does it? We both know how this day will end." She took his hand and squeezed. She seemed to be struggling with herself about something. "Whatever happens…" she started, then broke off. She took two deep breaths, then, "Know that I love you. No matter what."

"I love you too."

The cheers had died down from the defenders, but the air still rang with noise. The Empire was screaming in fury that their messenger had been killed. Their numbers were so great that the sound almost matched the defender's cheers, even from so much further away. A horn rang out across the fields, a signal that echoed up and down the massive front as more horns joined the chorus, and the great mass of the Empire began to move forward. The defenses did their job, and quite well, too. Heins saw dozens of soldiers falling into the spiked pits, pushed by the crowd behind them, or else crushed against the wooden barricades scattered around the fields. But no matter what, the Empire kept advancing.

"Steady!" General Raston called to the archers. "Wait until they are in range, firing now would be a waste!" The empire was a thousand yards away. Heins grasped Voda's pommel. Eight hundred yards. Anna gripped her bow, her knuckles white. Six hundred yards. Kristoff was bouncing on the balls of his feet. Five hundred yards. Elsa was swirling ice knives around her right hand. Three hundred yards. The slight creaking sound of thousands of bows being drawn rippled down the walls. Two hundred yards.

"FIRE!" General Raston roared. The twang of bow strings, the sun blotted out by thousands of arrows, and then, the screams of the dying rose up out of the fields in front of Arendelle. "First rank, kneel and reload! Second rank, FIRE!" More arrows. More screams. "Third rank, FIRE!" The first of the Empire had reached the walls. The Empire had produced crossbows, and were firing up at the walls. The archers were well protected, but so thick were the arrows that they found their way through the battlements and sunk home in dozens of Arendellians. Anna was firing arrows as fast as she could, but she may as well have tried to dam the fjord with her bare hands. Elsa had joined the fight as well, freezing great swathes of the Empire's soldiers at once, but she had to be careful not to overexert herself while the night was still young.

With an almighty crash from somewhere to Heins's right, the Empire's war machines announced their arrival. Great pieces of stone were hurtling towards the town from the Empire's trebuchets and smashing into the huddled archers on the walls, killing over a dozen men in one strike.

"Ladders!" shouted Heins, pointing. The top of a ladder had just come into view, metal arms on the top falling forward and catching the ledge just in front of Anna. Before Heins could react, an Empire soldier leapt onto the battlements, his sword flashing at Anna, who was not fast enough to raise her blade. Just before the edge would have sunk into Anna's side, another sword blocked it. In one fluid motion, General Raston flung the attacker's sword away, beheaded him, then stabbed a second soldier who was just reaching the top of the ladder. With a savage snarl, he kicked the ladder away from the wall. The metal arms broke free of the ladder, and the ladder toppled, sending the other soldiers on it plunging back to the earth. Heins froze with Voda halfway out of its sheath. He had never seen General Raston fight for real before. It was impressive, to say the least. However, there was no time to absorb this information, as another humongous crash, this one from beneath their feet, told Heins the battering ram had arrived. From the sound of it, the portcullis was holding, but it wouldn't for long. The main doors would hold for longer, but in the meantime, the seige towers were arriving at the walls and sending Empire soldiers flooding onto the walls.

"We have to move!" cried Elsa. "Anna, Kristoff, stay here and help defend the walls! General, go and organize the defense of the gate! We will have little time to get everyone back to the city defenses once the gate is breached! Heins, come with me!" Frost shone in the twilight as Elsa bounded forwards off towards the small room above the gate. Heins drew Voda and followed her. The walls were crowded with Arendelle's archers, but they made good time, reaching the room just as the battering ram made its fifth impact on the doors.

"Is everything ready?" Elsa demanded as she bounded into the room. The crackling light of several fires danced around the sweltering room. Great cauldrons of oil were simmering at a rolling boil above them.

"Yes, Your Majesty! We're waiting on your orders."

"Not yet," Elsa replied. "Wait till the portcullis is breached. We move when they hit the main doors. With any luck, we can delay them enough to pull our men back to the city before the Empire breaches the doors. They'll have to come down the walls, and that'll be a lot slower."

The portcullis did not last much longer. Within two minutes, it had fallen, announced by a great cheer from the Empire.

"Get ready," Elsa hissed. "When all the oil is gone, fall back to the city with all haste. And… NOW!"

With several swift kicks, the trapdoors fell open, and the cauldrons were heaved into the gaps. At once, screams filled the gatehouse as the bubbling oil splashed over its victims. Heins tried to shut them out the best he could as he followed Elsa back out of the room.

"Sound the retreat!" Heins bellowed, and General Raston's horn rang out over the walls. Seconds later, the rest of the Queensguard had sounded their own horns, and Arendelle began the fighting retreat from the walls.


	24. Kristoff - Nightfall

The retreat sounded just as Kristoff wrenched his sword out of a soldier's chest. It didn't come a moment too soon; while Arendelle was managing to hold the soldiers for now, the towers were not as easy to deal with as the ladders, and the Empire had gained a strong foothold. Black uniforms were swarming the walls like locusts, their inexperience more than made up for by their sheer numbers. Glancing around to see if the coast was clear, he grabbed his horn from his waist and sounded it, hearing Anna's blast out from beside him seconds later. He dropped the horn just in time to parry two strikes and disarm the soldier, then Anna leapt forward and killed the soldier with a well placed thrust to the abdomen.

"Thanks!" Kristoff shouted, smacking another blow out of the way. "Let's go!" He slew two more soldiers and leapt back to the top of the stairs leading down the back of the walls. "Go, go, go!" he screamed, as rank after rank of Arendellians hurried down the stairs, he, Anna, and a few brave souls were the only ones protecting their backs, their furious swipes keeping the Empire at bay. Within seconds, the only Arendellian uniforms left on the walls were the dead.

"GO!" Kristoff shouted, as loud as he could muster. The few remaining Arendellians fled at once, followed by Anna, with Kristoff hot on her heels as they thundered down the narrow stairs towards the relative safety of the inner barricades. Kristoff was three stairs from the bottom when a hand closed tight around the top of his backplate, choking him. An instant later, a freezing cold draft chilled him to the bone, and the hand released. Kristoff jumped the remaining stairs, landed hard, and took off again. Anna was just in front of him, making a beeline towards the small gap in the barricades, her red hair flying out behind her as she ran. Kristoff heard screams and loud smashes from the walls, and, looking ahead, saw Elsa standing outside the barricade, supported by Heins. She was holding one foot off the ground, and her arm was outstretched with a look of intense concentration on her face. More screams and sounds erupted from the walls with every flick of her wrist. Kristoff decided he didn't really want to know what was happening behind him, but he knew it was buying them precious time.

Moments later, he had hurtled through the gap after Anna, breathing hard. Elsa and Heins came in behind him, Elsa's arm wrapped around Heins's neck, not putting weight on her left leg. The Queensguard gathered around them. Kristoff saw Cari dabbing some blood off Alan's cut lip.

"What happened?" Anna asked her sister at once.

Elsa smiled, a grim, sad smile. "Tripped over a body. Twisted my ankle. I'll be fine." She gingerly tested her weight, and though her leg trembled at first, she did not fall, even when Heins stepped back, watching Elsa with concern. "It hurts, but I've had worse," she said. "I can still fight, at least. Wait…" she said, her eyes scanning the group. "We're missing some people..."

Kristoff glanced around, alarmed. _Count them out,_ he told himself. _Me, Anna, Elsa, Heins, Alan, Cari, Leila, Silas. Two left. Baldur and Liam._ Beside him, Leila noticed at the same time he did. She whipped around and scanned the faces around them.

"Baldur!" she cried.

"Liam!" shouted Heins.

"Over here, My Lords!" came an answering cry from a small group of soldiers about fifty feet down the street. To Kristoff's surprise, the voice was familiar. Leila tore off after the sound, the rest of the Queensguard close behind her, Elsa limping along in the rear. As Kristoff approached, he saw the source of the shout- Elsie, kneeling at Baldur's side, her small fingers a blur as she worked to remove his armor. A pool of scarlet spread across the cobblestone around him.

"Sir Baldur has been wounded, My Lords," she panted, as the Queensguard skidded to a stop in front of her. "Stabbed in the back, up on the wall. We evacuated him behind the barricades right away."

Leila had fallen to her knees, and was staring, horrorstruck, at Baldur's bloody form. "Will he live?" asked Elsa, her eyes full of anger.

"I don't know," said Elsie, her brow furrowed in concentration as she finally worked the clasps loose on Baldur's backplate. She tore it off and threw it behind her without a glance, then produced scissors from a small bag lying next to her and began cutting Baldur's undershirt off. Another healer slammed to his knees beside her and began applying some sort of poultice to the gruesome wound now visible on Baldur's back, which began to slow the bleeding at once- either that, or Baldur was running out of blood. He had lost so much already. "And…." Elsie began, but cut off as she redoubled her efforts to stem the tide of blood.

"Spit it out, now, we've got company coming," Kristoff spat, glancing through the barricade. The narrow gap showed him just enough. The Empire was massing for a second charge, just outside the range of the archers manning the barricade and on the roofs behind.

"Sir Liam was surrounded on the wall and killed." A strange sort of ripple spread out through the soldiers at these words. Whispers of "Is it true?", "Did you hear that?", and "Sir Liam. Dead!" emanated outwards in waves. Kristoff looked at Heins, alarmed. Cari and Alan exchanged a dark look, Anna's hand went to her ribbon, and Silas bowed his head.

"Very well," said Elsa, her tone clipped and curt. "We don't have time for grief now." She peered towards the Empire. They were milling about, restless, no one wanting to be the first man to approach the narrow defenses where their numbers advantage would be all but useless. "Alan, Cari, go east. Find whoever is in command and offer your assistance. Leila, Silas, the same on the west. Anna, Kristoff, stay here. Everyone remember the plan. And can you-" she snapped her fingers at a healer just about to help pick Baldur up, as the Queensguard turned and sprinted away"- take a look at my ankle before you take him back to the castle?" The healer wiped his hands on his bloodstained shirt, saw he was making the problem worse, and shrugged. He hurried over and took Elsa's boot off with care, then poked and prodded at Elsa's swollen ankle.

"Sprained…" he muttered. "Still, it shouldn't cause permanent harm. You can fight, Your Majesty, just take care not to depend on it too heavily." A curt nod from Elsa later, he had scurried back to Baldur's side as Elsa pulled her boot back on with a savage jerk, wincing at the pain, but eyes shining with fury.

A monumental cry rose up from the assembled masses outside the barricades. The ground thundered as the Empire charged forward. Arrow after arrow found their marks, but the sheer overwhelming number of the Empire ensured that more than enough reached the barricade. It didn't slow them down long, but then, it wasn't meant to. As the soldiers were just about to jump down off the eight foot wall, a dozen flaming arrows buried themselves in the soft wood. Soaked in oil before being stacked, the wood flared up at once, roasting the first several ranks of the Empire, their numbers now working against them as soldier after soldier was pushed into the inferno by the mass of people surging forward behind them.

At the same time, Arendelle's forces ran forward, standing shoulder to shoulder in the narrow gaps between buildings leading into the heart of the city, each man locking his shield into the one beside him and drawing one of the rough hewn, but very effective, long spears from the piles stacked against the buildings. The burned survivors that managed to make it through the blaze found themselves staring down the points of a dozen sharp blades. Every body that fell was another obstacle for the Empire to climb over, but Arendelle was dug in. This was where they would make their stand. The walls were nothing but a way to thin the herd before the Empire could get inside the city. Their shield wall was holding, and the spear's superior reach allowed them to be very effective while staying out of range of the Empire. For a while, Elsa, Heins, Kristoff, and Anna just watched the battle, directing the archer's fire with shouted commands and taking sporadic shots with their own bows, but the majority was just staying out of the fighting, conserving strength where they could, and dodging the continual rain of catapulted stones from the field outside the wall. However, without a way to see their targets, the catapults were poorly aimed, and almost all did more damage to the Empire than to Arendelle. When the fire in the main road started to die out, the archers on the roof threw down more wood for the fire, keeping that route closed off to the Empire.

The battle stabilized like this for almost two hours. Thousands of black uniforms were swarming the streets, streaming in from the gates and over the walls, but Arendelle was holding. Kristoff had been forced to leap forward more than once to plug a hole in the shield wall until a new shield took its place, but each time, he had been successful in repelling the soldiers without sustaining serious injury, and the shield wall was able to be reestablished without losing ground. General Raston was darting around the city, directing the remaining soldiers to shore up weak spots in the shield wall. Anna and Elsa had long since run out of arrows, a problem the archers on the roofs did not seem to be having thanks to Horst's incredible efficiency in running the forge for more than a week. More crossbow bolts had been sent towards the rooftops, but they were having little effect firing so steeply upward, while the archers could fire arrows at their leisure at the shoulder-to-shoulder black uniforms swirling below. Elsa was helping where she could, but Kristoff could tell she was holding back to conserve her strength. If they could just hold here, they might actually have a chance.

"Look out!" came a shout from the rooftops. A flaming stone, a lucky shot by some enterprising catapult crew outside the walls, was tumbling through the air straight towards them. There was no time to react. It smashed into the ground just behind the smoking remnants of the barricade and barrelled through the shield wall, until it came to rest against a building some twenty feet back from where the shield wall had just been. Kristoff made to leap forward to seal the gap as he had done before, but Heins caught his arm.

"No, Kristoff! We can't save it this time." Kristoff whipped his gaze back and forth along what used to be the shield wall. Hundreds, no, thousands of black uniforms lay dead in front of him, compared to only a few hundred of his own soldiers, but it didn't matter. The Empire was unending. More stones, some engulfed in fire, were flying from the Empire's war machines, having gotten in range at long last. One crashed into a building to the east, collapsing a wall and sending the archers on the roof plummeting down to the street, where they were hacked apart by the screaming soldiers.

"Fall back!" Elsa screamed. "Fall back to the castle!" Kristoff tore his eyes away from the screaming archers in time to see Elsa slash her hand through the air, covering the street in a sheet of mirror smooth ice that sent the advancing soldiers sprawling across it. Heins seized his horn from his belt and blew. The next second, Kristoff's sounded as well, and Arendelle began a furious flight away from the advancing Empire.

Kristoff was aware of very little as he ran, Anna at his side, his men all around him as Elsa led the way back towards the castle. He could hear nothing but his own breath and the crackling of flame and crashes of collapsing homes reverberated all around him, _inside_ him. He was leaving hundreds of bodies behind him, with still more sure to fall before the sun did. On some level, he had known it would not end any other way. The Empire was too large, too strong. Had too many men behind it.

Elsa reached the bridge first and whirled around as rank after rank of Arendelle's soldiers hurried across the bridge. Spinning around as well, Kristoff could just make out a wave of black uniforms nipping at the heels of the last few Arendellians. Arendelle was burning. Pillars of smoke rose in every direction. The once proud tower, where church bells had rung out so recently and so full of joy, were gone. The town square was a smoking crater. The screams of the dying filled the air.

The last surviving men stormed onto the bridge. Elsa tried to create another ice wall, but she was so exhausted that this one took only seconds for the Empire to smash through. Kristoff was running again, his legs feeling as though they had been filled with lead. The outer doors slammed behind them, but Kristoff didn't stop. He, Anna, Elsa, Heins, Alan, Cari, Leila, and Silas tore up the lawn towards the castle itself as the rest of their men, including General Raston, stopped and turned to face the doors. Kristoff had just slammed the doors to the entrance hall when the first soldiers of the Empire crashed against the outer doors. Smashing and hacking sounds echoed through the courtyard in a matter of moments as the Empire tried to gain entry. Captain Raston was waiting for them in the entrance hall, his sword bared.

"It's time, Your Majesty," he said as they approached. "It's over. You tried, and for that, we shall all be forever grateful. I shall buy you as much time as I can."

"Thank you, Captain," said Elsa. "I shall make sure you- and your father- are remembered." He nodded, his face set. "Let's go." As Heins and Kristoff made to follow Elsa, Anna stood rooted to the spot.

"What does he mean?" Anna asked slowly. "'It's over'? What's going on?"

Kristoff shifted, uncomfortable. He had not agreed with Elsa on this. Anna being kept in the dark would only make it worse in the end. When no answer was forthcoming, Captain Raston spoke up. "Your Highness, you and your sister _must_ survive," he said, his voice gentle. "While you live, there is yet hope of Arendelle's salvation. If you fall, all is lost."

Anna was still standing stock still, struggling to understand. "So… all these people are dying… for me to run away? For nothing?" Outside, the outer doors to the castle fell with a tremendous crash, and fresh screams pierced the air as the Empire swarmed into the courtyard.

Elsa still did not answer, so Heins spoke this time. "They are dying for their kingdom. For their Princess, and their Queen. For you to die would be to betray their sacrifice."

"We do it gladly, Your Highness," Captain Raston said. "We lay down our lives so that Arendelle might survive."

"We discussed surrender," Kristoff cut in. "But the men wouldn't have it. They refused."

"So you knew, too," Anna cried, rounding on him. The hall's door was being battered down now, and Heins glanced around, nervous eyes darting back and forth.

"We need to go, now," he muttered to no one in particular.

"How long?" Anna shot at Elsa. "How long have you been plotting to betray your own people?" Elsa did not reply, but continued to stare at the ground. "You dared to speak about Rapunzel, but it turns out you're exactly the same! I trusted you! I believed in you!" Anna hurled these words at her sister as though they were spears. "But this is what you do? You betray your own people, your own sister, keeping me in the dark, shutting me out again!" The door had begun to splinter as more and more Empire pounded on it. The remaining soldiers inside the castle tensed, their weapons raised. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"How could I?" Elsa fired back, her eyes swimming with tears now to mirror her sister's. "When you're so naive that you think I have the answer to everything! Well, surprise- I don't! Do you have any idea what it's like to be held to some impossible standard day in and day out by your own sister?"

"So you decide to keep me in the dark while you abandon our people and expect me to go along with it?" Anna shouted.

"I wouldn't have had to keep you in the dark if you had been able to handle it!" Elsa spat.

SMACK!

Elsa's head whipped back, Anna's palm print already visible on her cheek. "How dare you!" Anna screamed.

CRASH!

The hall's doors had finally fallen, and first through the door, as though he was visiting an old friend's house, was Hans. He cut down two soldiers without breaking stride as black uniforms swarmed into the entrance hall.

"Go, now!" Captain Raston shouted, shoving past Elsa and heading straight for Hans, the remaining Queensguard hot on his heels. With a mighty swing, Captain Raston and Hans began to duel. All around them, Arendelle's remaining men were attempting to stem the tide of the endless black uniforms. With a scream of frustration, Anna made to run forward to help, but Kristoff seized her around the middle, struggling to keep hold as she fought with all her might to break free, her strawberry hair flying.

"No, Anna!" Kristoff shouted. "We have to go, now! Heins, help me!" At once, Heins took hold of her arm, and together, they began to drag her down the hall, looking back over their shoulders as they did so.

Captain Raston let out a howl of fury as he swung with both hands at Hans with all of his formidable power. Hans barely parried the blow in time, and his eyes filled with a sort of panic as Captain Raston began to push Hans backwards, his sword a furious blur of shining steel as it wove around Hans's. Captain Raston fought harder and faster than Kristoff had ever seen, snarling with rage and hatred at his foe. Even as his men around him fell, Captain Raston remained standing, and so terrible was he that the rest of the Empire seemed hesitant to approach the duel, content to continue attempting to kill the Queensguard still protecting Captain Raston's back and sides.

A final lunge and a parry, and Hans's blade was wrenched from his grasp as Raston kicked him hard in the chest, sending Hans sprawling backward. Captain Raston strode forward, raising his sword for a killing blow. With a surge of elation, Kristoff thought for a moment that Raston might be able to finish him off, but it was not to be. Hans snapped his fingers from the floor, and at once, Captain Raston's knees inverted. He collapsed to the ground, howling in pain. Hans rose to his feet, picked up his sword, and without taking his eyes off of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Henis, drove his blade clean through Captain Raston's chest and deep into the stone floor. Raston's cries of agony silenced at once.

"Leaving so soon, my friends?" Hans called to them, raising his hand in greeting. "I've only just arrived!" The rest of the Queensguard howled in grief and fury and flung themselves at him, only to be caught midair and thrown back into pillars and walls, where they slid to the ground and lay quite still. Kristoff's heart wrenched for his brothers-in-arms, but he knew there was nothing he could do.

"Anna, you need to run! We have to go!" shouted Kristoff. He spun her around and shoved her down the hall, and to his immense relief, she ran. Hans's laughter filled the entrance hall, echoing so that it seemed a chorus of Hanses were laughing with malicious glee as the four of them ran for their lives. Flashes of the lost kept flashing through Kristoff's mind as he sprinted down the familiar halls of his home: Alan, Cari, Leila, and Silas laying motionless in the entrance hall; the wounded Baldur whose fate Kristoff did not know; the fallen Liam and Alarik, both killed far before their time; the Rastons, father and son, both dead within minutes of each other; Martha, Rose, Gareth, and Jakob, who knew where they were; Horst, Zack, and the hundreds of other civilians who had chosen to fight, most of whom were surely gone; Elsie, who had taken such good care of Elsa and now Baldur, sure to have been captured or killed by now; the town itself, the church he had been married in, the town square where he used to peddle ice, the stables where he would often go see Sven, all were reduced to rubble. The rage and grief mixed with his helpless despair, and the longing to go back and fight and lose and die filled him until it nearly overwhelmed him. The only thing that kept him moving were the strawberry blonde braids dancing in front of him, but even now, they seemed somehow further. Somehow… out of reach.

"Down here!" Elsa screamed, flinging herself at a small doorway off a side hall and bursting through it, revealing a tight spiral staircase. With a revelation that made him laugh bitterly, Kristoff realized that it was not the first time Elsa had fled the castle using this very route. The first time she had, it had started the long and convoluted chain of events that led… here. To the end of Arendelle. _Well, it didn't happen the way you feared that night, Elsa_ , Kristoff thought, bitterness gripping his heart. _But it turns out that night was the end of your kingdom_.

They reached the bottom of the stairs. Elsa led the way out of the castle towards the water's edge, flinging out a hand as she ran, freezing the fjord solid. The sense of bitter familiarity returned, even stronger this time. They crossed the ice as fast as they could, though no one seemed to be pursuing them. What was the point? They had already lost.

When they reached the other side, Elsa unfroze the fjord with another wave of her hand, then stopped. The four of them stood on the shore for a moment, watching the dancing flames continue to spread throughout Arendelle, lighting the night sky. Then, without warning, Anna spun around to face her sister. Elsa looked back, not quailing under the fierce, hateful visage on Anna's face. Long, tense moments passed in silence as Anna glared at her sister.

"I did what I thought was right," said Elsa, at long last. For a moment, Anna looked as though she wanted to attack Elsa, her hand gripping Silva and sliding a few inches out of the scabbard at her hip. Then the moment passed. Silva clicked home in her scabbard as Anna turned her back on her sister, and walked into the night without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, let's recap. Arendelle is rubble, the army is slaughtered, the Queensguard is destroyed, Anna and Elsa are fractured, shitloads of people are dead, and the Empire won. There's an epilogue as well, which I'll be posting tomorrow, but that's Part II. Thank you for reading.


	25. Epilogue - Three Years Later

Egil hated being on duty on nights like tonight. He drew his cloak tighter around himself, shivering in the face of the biting rain, wincing with every clap of thunder. The roof was not exactly where he wanted to be during a thunderstorm. No one would be out on a night like this, and it was well past curfew. After the last person to be out after curfew was drawn and quartered in the main square about a month ago, no one had dared leave their homes at night. Egil stifled a chuckle as he thought of the young man's face right as the horses started to gallop. But still, rules were rules, and the rules said that he had to guard this place, and so here Egil stood, wet and miserable, on the roof of a run down shack in a thunderstorm. It wasn't the most glamorous job, but it put food on the table. Plus, the daytime duties were way more fun. If being cold once in a while was the price to pay for getting to boss around the townsfolk, take whatever he wanted from their shops and stalls, and pinch the pretty barmaid's ass every time she walked by while he drank for free, it was all worth it. What were they going to do, say no to a member of the King's army? In fact, Egil's shift was almost over, and he wasn't all that tired. Maybe he'd walk down to the brothel and get himself a couple of whores to warm his bedsheets with. They were no real competition for the barmaid, of course, but Egil didn't think he could quite get away with _that_ , although he had seen several of his superiors have their way with whomever they wanted. Maybe in a few years he'd be able to-

A flash of flickering light from the alley two buildings down the main road of the village. Egil ran to the edge of the roof, leaning over the railing, but it was too dark, and the sleet stung his eyes as he strained to see where the light had come from. It had come so suddenly and left just as quickly, but if he had to bet, it looked like someone had lit a torch then immediately put it out. It seemed like a larger flame than a simple lantern.

"You, in the alley!" Egil called. "Who goes there?" There was no answer.

"What are you yelling about, Egil?" The trapdoor on the roof had swung open, and Egil's soon-to-be replacement, Tomas, poked his head out.

"I saw someone light a torch between those buildings," Egil reported, pointing. "At least, I think I did. I think someone's out after curfew." Tomas' face split into a grin.

"Oh really?" he said, eyes alight. "Someone didn't learn their lesson from last time, eh?"

"Looks that way. You gonna handle it?"

"Oh yeah, I'll handle it alright." Tomas's grin widened, and he swung the trapdoor closed again. A long rectangle of light spilled out onto the square, a shadow crossed it, then the light vanished once more. A moment later, Tomas was striding down the main street, his sword bare. Egil watched with mounting excitement. What would Tomas do? He was well within his rights to cut down whomever was down that alley on sight, but he might choose to take them alive. Egil hoped for the latter. He didn't want to deprive the executioner of another job, but Tomas wasn't the one to ask for mercy. Tomas slowed his pace to a creep as he approached the alley. He reached the corner of the building and paused, then leapt into the alley, his sword flashing in the dim light spilling from the tavern down the street. A few seconds passed, then-

A burst of light, much, much brighter than the one Egil had seen earlier, erupted from the alley. At the same time, a high pitched, terrible scream pierced the night, then stopped very abruptly.

"Tomas!" cried Egil, but there was no answer. The alley, which before had faded into darkness, now remained lit, a soft red glow spilling out onto the road like a bloodstain. Egil saw curtains open along the street, fearful faces filling them for a moment until they were wrenched closed again. As Egil watched, the red glow dwindled in the rain, until darkness once again overtook the village. He gripped the hilt of his sword, eyes wide, leaning forward, as though getting closer would allow his eyes to get through the darkness. A crack of lightning lit the sky, and Egil felt his heart leap into his throat. There was a figure on top of the roof near the alley Tomas had entered. It looked like a person, but it seemed to be wearing a long cloak that obscured its features.

"Who's there?!" Egil screamed, his voice high and shrill with fear. He stumbled back away from the railing, drawing his sword. There was no answer. "By order of the King, I order you to identify yourself!"

"Your false King holds no power over me," came a hissed reply from… somewhere. Egil whipped his head back and forth, searching for the source. Another bolt of lightning streaked across the dark sky. The figure was gone from where he had seen it, but Egil didn't have time to find them again.

"False King, huh?" cried Egil, his voice wavering despite his attempt at bravery. "We'll see how false he is when you're brought before him! What did you do with Tomas?"

"I'm afraid your relief will be… late to his post. He's in a dreadful state, you see." The hiss came again, closer this time, but no matter how hard Egil looked, he couldn't see through the darkness and the rain. Another crack of lightning, and Egil screamed. The figure was on the roof with him. _How? How did he get up here? I didn't hear him!_ The lightning faded, and the figure again vanished into the darkness.

"I have no quarrel with you," came the hiss, somehow right behind him. Egil spun around, his sword slashing, but he hit nothing. "If you attempt to attack me again, I will kill you. Don't make Tomas's mistake."

"I yield, I yield!" Egil cried, dropping to his knees, his sword clattering from fingers he could not quite feel, his eyes downcast. "Don't kill me!" A flickering light appeared somewhere above him, and Egil realized the figure was standing just in front of him. He chanced a glance upward.

The figure was holding a torch in its right hand- no, wait, it wasn't holding a torch. It was holding- Egil's stomach dropped. A ball of crackling blue flame, perhaps three inches wide, was hovering just above the figure's gloved hand. The face was still obscured by the dark hood, pulled low over the man's face.

"Wise choice," came the hiss once more. "Now move. There's something in this building I need." Egil scrambled to obey. The figure swept past him, his long cloak trailing on the ground. He dismissed the flame with a shake of his right hand and bent down to open the trapdoor into the building. _Now's my chance!_ thought Egil, his heart pounding. As quickly and as quietly as he could, he snatched his sword from where it had landed and jumped at the figure, swinging it with all his might. As he watched the blade descend to the middle of the man's back, he thought this might just be the thing that earned him his promotion that would finally allow him to bed the barmaid from down the street. What happened next was so fast that Egil's brain was several steps slow in catching up.

The first thing he realized that despite seeing his blade sink into what should have been the man's flesh, there was very little resistance as his blade went into and through the spot where his eyes told him the man must be. The next thing he knew, there was a short, shining blade coming towards him. As he felt the blade tear his neck open, his arteries pumping thick blood down his chest, he marveled at how warm it was and how little it had hurt- he had barely felt a thing. By the time Egil realized he was actually dying, his eyes had finally caught up with his surroundings, and were gazing into a face- not a man's, as he had been expecting, but that of a woman's, a stunningly beautiful woman, whose teeth were bared in a fierce snarl. The very last thing he saw, before a pressing darkness took him in its comforting embrace, was a blue ribbon, tied around the woman's arm. The ribbon, and a lock of strawberry blonde hair, stained deep scarlet with blood.

**Author's Note:**

> I want to take a moment to thank you, the reader, for sticking with the saga up to this point. While I very sincerely hope you enjoyed Part I, and I am very proud of it, I personally think it pales in comparison to Part II. I wrote a full outline this time, went through tens of full revisions and almost full rewrites, and poured nearly two years of work into what amounts to a book the length of the first Harry Potter novel. I hope that you enjoy the journey through the next installment of Darkness Among Us. As always, comments of any kind are extremely appreciated, whether you find me the earthly manifestation of Christ turned writer or so remarkably abhorrent it offends you to your very core that I'm allowed access to a keyboard, any and every comment will be read. Finally, thank you again for sticking with this story into Part II.


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